CRYSTAL PALACE TEENAGER Franco Umeh has been handed a first call-up to the Ireland U21 squad for next month’s Euro 2025 qualifier double-header against Turkiye and Latvia.
Former Cork City youngster Umeh, 19, has largely featured for Palace’s U21s and is yet to make his Premier League debut, but was an unused substitute in five league matches last season.
Dundee United’s Emmanuel Adegboyega — formerly of Drogheda United — is also handed his first call-up by Jim Crawford.
Crawford is without Tayo Adaramola, Zak Gilsenan, Sean Grehan, Conor Carty and Adam Murphy, who are all returning from injury, while Bosun Lawal and Tony Springett both miss out on selection.
Crawford also confirmed changes to his backroom team with Stephen Rice joining the set-up as assistant coach following his involvement with the senior men’s squad, while Rene Gilmartin, who also worked with the senior squad during John O’Shea’s interim reign, returns as U21 goalkeeping coach.
Ireland currently sit second in Group A, two points behind leaders Italy but having played a game less, ahead of their meetings with Turkiye in Istanbul on 6 September and Latvia in Tallaght Stadium on 10 September.
Ireland U21 squad
Goalkeepers: Tiernan Brooks (Gateshead), Killian Cahill (Brighton & Hove Albion), Josh Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur)
Defenders: James Abankwah (Udinese), Emmanuel Adegboyega (Dundee United, on loan from Norwich City), Sam Curtis (Peterborough United, on loan from Sheffield United), James Furlong (Wimbledon, on loan from Hull City), Anselmo Garcia-MacNulty (PEC Zwolle), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Connor O’Riordan (Cambridge United, on loan from Blackburn Rovers), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City)
Midfielders: Baba Adeeko (Wigan Athletic), Matt Healy (Royal Francs Borains), Joe Hodge (Huddersfield Town, on loan from Wolves), Andrew Moran (Stoke City, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Killian Phillips (St. Mirren, on loan from Crystal Palace), Rocco Vata (Watford)
Forwards: Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City), Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Mark O’Mahony (Portsmouth, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Ollie O’Neill (Leyton Orient), Armstrong Oko-Flex (FC Zürich), Franco Umeh (Crystal Palace)
