The magnificent seven selected for U18 Republic of Ireland panel
There are a number of key players involved in the FAI Schools International team that are currently preparing for the finale of the Carnegie Centenary Shield. The last game of the series will see Ireland play host to England in the RSC Waterford on Friday, 24 April 2009.
Ireland are in a great position having beaten Northern Ireland and Wales while drawing with Scotland already.
The boys continued to impress on other circuits as seven of the Schools panel were selected to join Sean McCaffrey’s U18 panel this week.
Kilkenny CBS student Jimmy Keohane, Belvedere pupil Paul Corry, Colaiste Eoin’s Shane Howard, Lucan’s Andrew Boyle (Colaiste Phadraig CBS), Meath’s Jason Dwane (St. Peter’s College, Dunboyne) and Limerick CBS star Jason Hughes and Ian Storan of Crescent College Comprehensive have been selected on the Republic of Ireland U18 squad which travels for two friendlies against Cyprus in Larnaca next week - manager Sean McCaffrey was so impressed by the lads performances for the Irish schoolboys in the Carnegie Shield that he has drafted them into his international squad.
The matches will take place on Tuesday and Thursday of next week in Cyprus and with the qualifiers for the under-19 European Championship qualifers less than six months away Sean McCaffrey will use this trip to assess potential candidates for that campaign.
McCaffrey has always insisted that he is open to including Republic of Ireland-based players in his plans for competitive campaigns and with this brace of friendlies he is presenting those players with an opportunity to force their way into the 2009-10 under-19 squad.
We wish the lads the best of luck in the campaign as they have every chance of making a breakthrough at the grade.
Republic of Ireland Under-18 Squad: Ciaran Gallagher (Finn Harps), Ronan Forde (Salthill Devon), Jason Dwane (Home Farm), Andrew Boyle (UCD), Kalen Spillane (Carrigaline United), Paul Scally (Mervue United), Derek Kavanagh (Crumlin United), Ciaran Coll (Finn Harps), Ian Storan (Limerick FC), Simon Holland (Carrigaline United), Carl McPherson (Carrigaline United), Jimmy Keohane (Wexford Youths), Paul Corry (Belvedere), Chris Kerr (Drogheda United), Jason Hughes (Limerick FC), Lee Dixon (Bohemians), Zac Shanahan (Tramore AFC), Darragh Walshe (FC Carlow), Shane Howard (Belvedere) & William Woods (Drogheda United).