A SOUGHT-AFTER Irish-eligible youngster has declared for Ireland’s U21 side. Before you get your hopes up – no, it is not Jack Grealish.

Reading’s Niall Keown, son of Arsenal legend Martin, had previously been involved with the England U19 side but the Evening Herald are reporting that he has decided to switch allegiance to Ireland.

Although his dad won 42 caps for England between 1992-2002, Martin Keown could have actually played for Ireland too, as his dad is from Galway and his mother is from Fermanagh.

It is hard to know if the 19-year-old defender will turn into a regular international but the younger Keown has shown a lot of promise, including these two blocks last season that his dad would have been proud of.

Here is the Ireland U21 squad that will take on Andorra at the RSC, Waterford on Thursday 26 March at 7.45pm.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 SQUAD:

Daniel Rogers (Aberdeen FC)

Ian Lawlor (Manchester City FC)

Jack Connors (Dagenham & Redbridge FC)

Callum O’Dowda (Oxford United FC)

Bradley Garmston (West Bromwich Albion FC)

Niall Keown (Reading FC)

Lee Desmond (St Patrick’s Athletic FC)

Sean Kavanagh (Fulham FC)

Thomas Hoban (Watford FC)

Daragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers FC)

Glen Rea (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

Alan Browne (Preston North End FC)

Matthew Hamilton (Wigan Athletic FC)

Jack Byrne (Manchester City FC)

Kenneth McEvoy (Tottenham Hotspur FC)

Dylan Connolly (Ipswich Town FC)

Shamir Goodwin(Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

Conor Wilkinson (Bolton Wanderers FC)

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