JIM CRAWFORD HAS included Shamrock Rovers youngster Conan Noonan in the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for the first time as they prepare to take on Croatia and England.
Accrington Stanley’s Connor O’Brien is another debutant while Crawford has been boosted by the return of more experienced figures at this level when Andrew Moran, Josh Keeley and Bosun Lawal link up.
The latter will be involved in the senior squad for the friendly with Hungary tomorrow.
However, Crawford will be unable to call on Crystal Palace trio Tayo Adaramola, Sean Grehan and Killian Phillips with Blackburn Rovers’ Zak Gilsenan also not travelling and Drogheda United goalkeeper Andrew Wogan unavailable as he is due to begin his Leaving Certificate.
There are a spate of returning faces from the win over San Marino in March, though, with Ollie O’Neill (Leyton Orient), Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers), James Abankwah (Udinese) and Killian Cahill (Brighton & Hove Albion) all set to meet up tomorrow before heading to Zagreb for Friday’s game (kick-off 5pm Irish time) before turning their attentions to England Under-20s on Tuesday, June 11 (kick-off 3pm Irish time).
Goalkeepers: Tiernan Brooks (Notts County), Killian Cahill (Brighton & Hove Albion),
Josh Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur).
Defenders
James Abankwah (Udinese), Sam Curtis (Sheffield United), Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (PEC Zwolle), Bosun Lawal (Celtic), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Connor O’Brien (Accrington Stanley), Connor O’Riordan (Blackburn Rovers), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City).
Midfielders
Baba Adeeko (Wigan Athletic), Matt Healy (Royal Francs Borains), Joe Hodge (Wolves), Andrew Moran (Brighton & Hove Albion), Conan Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Rocco Vata (Celtic).
Forwards
Sinclair Armstrong (QPR), Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall), Calum Kavanagh (Bradford City), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Mark O’Mahony (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ollie O’Neill (Leyton Orient), Armstrong Oko-Flex (FC Zurich), Tony Springett (Norwich City).
