2019 UEFA Under-21 Championships

[Charlie Darwin]

He plays on the left of a front three for Derry but I'm not sure where he's played with Ireland. He's not hugely prolific but the way Derry play the goals are spread around the team.

[liamoo11]

Curtis will move onto a European league in the winter I'd imagine. Ostersunds agreed a fee with Derry during the summer but he turned them down. O'Connor's not overweight, he just spends too much time in the gym and he's naturally big like Jon Walters.
great thanks. still calling o Connor fat faced though!

[Olé Olé]

He plays on the left of a front three for Derry but I'm not sure where he's played with Ireland. He's not hugely prolific but the way Derry play the goals are spread around the team.
Cheers. From looking at line-ups for Ireland he has been part of a front two up front. That's just from looking at line-ups though. The line-up against Azerbaijan had him as being up front beside Grego-Cox.

[Real ale Madrid]

I see the U-21 game v Israel is on Monday afternoon - yes Monday afternoon at 3.30. What an absolute and utter shambles.

[tetsujin1979]

The times are set by UEFA

[Real ale Madrid]

The times are set by UEFA

What an absolute and utter shambles by UEFA

[tetsujin1979]

Afternoon games like that are usually to let teams to get an evening flight back, instead of having to stay in the country an extra night

[liamoo11]

Afternoon games like that are usually to let teams to get an evening flight back, instead of having to stay in the country an extra night

to be fair I wouldn't stay in tallaght for an extra night either!

[Real ale Madrid]

Afternoon games like that are usually to let teams to get an evening flight back, instead of having to stay in the country an extra night

Fine up to U-17 level - but these lads are professional footballers all - makes no sense to play the game at a time when the majority of interested spectators are either at school or work.

[tetsujin1979]

A number of the Under 19 qualifiers in October will be played in early afternoon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_UEFA_European_Under-19_Championship_qualification

[Real ale Madrid]

A number of the Under 19 qualifiers in October will be played in early afternoon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_UEFA_European_Under-19_Championship_qualification

I wonder why that is?

According to the regulations:


Article 19.04 The mini-tournament must be organised according to the following schedule:
Day 1: Arrival of the UEFA match delegate
Day 2: Arrival of all teams
Arrival of all referees and other UEFA match officers
Organisational meeting
Day 3: Matchday 1: Matches 1 v 4 and 3 v 2
Day 4: Rest day
Day 5: Rest day
Day 6: Matchday 2: Matches 1 v 3 and 2 v 4
Day 7: Rest day
Day 8: Rest day
Day 9: Matchday 3: Matches 2 v 1 and 4 v 3
Day 10: Departure of all teams
Departure of the referees
Departure of the UEFA match officers.

And:


Article 20.05 Unless the UEFA administration grants special approval, host associations are not
allowed to fix kick-off times before 11.00 or after 21.00 (local time).

So UEFA don't set the kick-off times but just insist that games are played between 11am and 9pm. And teams are covered for the night after they play their last game.

I took your word for setting of Kick-off times regarding the U21's yesterday - I shouldn't have really - I knew it was FAI incompetence!

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/uefaorg/Regulations/02/49/30/71/2493071_DOWNLOAD.pdf

[tetsujin1979]

The42 are claiming Clarke, Doyle Hayes and Shodipo are out of the game tonight, but I can't find confirmation from the FAI: http://www.the42.ie/ireland-u21s-norway-liam-kinsella-mark-father-son-3630035-Oct2017/

However, Clarke, Shopido and Doyle Hayes were ruled out through injury by the FAI last night.

[tetsujin1979]

Starting XI announced: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/915993504777609216/photo/1


1. Kieran O'Hara
2. Danny Kane
3. Corey Whelan
4. Shaun Donnellan
5. Ryan Sweeney
6. Josh Cullen
7. Declan Rice
8. Harry Charsley
9. Reece Grego-Cox
10. Ryan Manning
11. Ronan Curtis

[Olé Olé]

Only 3 Irish-born or reared and only one LOI player starting in spite of strong presence in squad.

[Olé Olé]

On phone so can't edit but Conor Shaughnessy and Dessie Hutchinson are playing senior games.

[tetsujin1979]

0-0 at half time, Ireland improving throughout the half. Best play is coming through the middle and then out to the left to Curtis, who's probably been the best player so far. Rice in midfield looks good on the ball, and he's bigger than I thought. Very little coming down the right.
The final ball is lacking. The build up is good, players finding space, but the final cross has rarely hit the striker. Grego-Cox is battling hard but he's about 5 foot 6, keep it on the deck!
For Norway their right full is their biggest threat, he's a big lad and breaks into our half when in possession and looks to create something.

[nigel-harps1954]

Surely has to be seen as a poor result at home against a side already beaten by Kosovo.

[JC_GUFC]

Surely has to be seen as a poor result at home against a side already beaten by Kosovo.

They beat Kosovo 5-0... but played an ineligible player so the result was awarded 3-0 to Kosovo.

They did lose 3-2 away to them but to be fair Kosovo only lost 1-0 in Tallaght and 1-0 in Germany last time out, so I'd say they're much better than their senior team and also Norway are probably quite decent too - on the back of tonight's showing that seems true.

A win against Israel on Monday would set us up nicely in the group.

[tetsujin1979]

Ireland did everything except score, really should have gotten a win. Cullen was awarded MOTM, I'd have given it to Curtis myself, but Cullen did play well. Everyone did to be honest, the only disappointment was Charsley, he was right in front of where I was sitting in the second half and he never really looked interested in the game. Sweeney at right full got forward more than he did!

[liamoo11]

Ireland did everything except score, really should have gotten a win. Cullen was awarded MOTM, I'd have given it to Curtis myself, but Cullen did play well. Everyone did to be honest, the only disappointment was Charsley, he was right in front of where I was sitting in the second half and he never really looked interested in the game. Sweeney at right full got forward more than he did!

Thanks for great report didn't see this. Did manning play behind Cox?

[tetsujin1979]

Thanks for great report didn't see this. Did manning play behind Cox?
They were playing up front beside each other, so I really didn't understand why we were crossing so much, given all of the Norway back line were huge. Grego-Cox reminded me of Jay Tabb, lot of ability but his size might count against him



On phone so can't edit but Conor Shaughnessy and Dessie Hutchinson are playing senior games.
FWIW I thought Whelan and Donnellan worked well at centre half,

[passinginterest]

I watched the game on Eir sports and agree with most of your assessment Tets. Curtis definitely looked the most promising attacking player and I agree Charsley was poor (despite delivering the best cross of the game). I though Grego-Cox was very disappointing though, ran around a lot but was very poor when he did get on the ball and missed the best chance of the game. On the second half performance Ireland probably did enough to win the game, but they took a long time to get going. It looks a promising group of players overall.

[Briuk]

Is israel a better team than Norway?
Ive seen all their players but one play in the local league.

[Closed Account]

Ireland 1-0 up inside 60 seconds. Grego-Cox

https://i.imgur.com/NsIKMXF.png

https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/917398567530221568
Here's the goal from @reececox9 (https://twitter.com/reececox9) that has put the #IRLU21s (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IRLU21s?src=hash) ahead @tallaghtstadium (https://twitter.com/tallaghtstadium). Live now on eir Sport 1! #COYBIG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/COYBIG?src=hash)
Manning to Grego-Cox, made in the QPR

[Real ale Madrid]

2-0 Charsley 35min - not watching but would be a great result on the face of it if they can keep it up.

[DeLorean]

3-0, Grego-Cox again, pen - 38mins played

[Closed Account]

3-0 now. Peno Grego Cox.
Eir Sport have brief highlights. RGC missed a sitter earlier, Curtis chance wasn't much harder.
https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/917407208115236864

[DeLorean]

What's the score lads?

[DannyInvincible]

2-0 Charsley 35min - not watching but would be a great result on the face of it if they can keep it up.

Video of Charsley's goal: https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/917407208115236864

[DannyInvincible]

Video of Ireland's third goal: https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/917407929174720512

[passinginterest]

The two lads who I picked out for criticism in the last game doing the business. Goes to show what I know about football!!

[DeLorean]

Just the kick up the arse they needed, P.I. Well played. :)

[Closed Account]

Hat Trick for RGC
https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/917415738968891392

[samhaydenjr]

Excellent result and start to qualification for the U21s - our best ever start at this level, I reckon. And I had a quick look at the squads for Norway and Israel and both their sets of players have far more first-team experience than our lads. Good to see RGC get a hat-trick - he has seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough a few times over the last few years but hasn't quite been able to make it stick as yet - let's hope he can build on this and finally break into the QPR first team in the near future

[swinfordfc]

When is their next game and who against?

[tetsujin1979]

When is their next game and who against?

away to Norway in a month: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification_Group_5
Germany are four points behind us, and will have played three times before we kick off against Norway

[swinfordfc]

away to Norway in a month: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification_Group_5
Germany are four points behind us, and will have played three times before we kick off against Norway

Thanks! ....... So what your really telling me Germany will be on 15 pts after 5 games before we kick a ball again! ... The Norway game is huge so to get to 13 pts and we 2 pts behind them at the half way stage!

[IsMiseSean]

away to Norway in a month: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification_Group_5
Germany are four points behind us, and will have played three times before we kick off against Norway

Mentioned on Eir Sport coverage yesterday that they'll be showing the game in Norway live.

[Closed Account]

away to Norway in a month: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification_Group_5
Germany are four points behind us, and will have played three times before we kick off against Norway
Norway level with Germany at HT. Chance.....tiny but chance.

[Closed Account]

Norway have done us a favour. Currently 3-1 up on Germany with 5 mins left.

[liamoo11]

That's a great win. Kosovo Norway and Israel will be very tough away games not to mention Germany. In other 21 campaigns we prob wouldn't get more than 1 or 2 points from these last 5 games. Hopefully we can buck the trend

[swinfordfc]

Wow - that 0-0 against Norway looks pretty good now after last night result!

[Mastershake87]

How is Chiedozie Ogbene not in this squad? He's a great prospect with serious pace and power.

[tetsujin1979]

How is Chiedozie Ogbene not in this squad? He's a great prospect with serious pace and power.
He's stated his preference is to play for Nigeria.
I'd be asking why Conor Masterson and Glen McAuley are still excluded

[Olé Olé]

He's stated his preference is to play for Nigeria.
I'd be asking why Conor Masterson and Glen McAuley are still excluded

Is McAuley not a tad young at 17?

[tetsujin1979]

I meant from across the underage sides

[liamoo11]

He's stated his preference is to play for Nigeria.
I'd be asking why Conor Masterson and Glen McAuley are still excluded
mccauley not making himself available for the 17s euros in may because idah was going to be the central striker and he was going to be playing wide in a front three clearly is a problem especially when the only previous example of similar behaviour I can remember is Stephen Ireland walking out of a qualifying tournament at under 17s in cork which wasn't as it turns out a great omen. Also mccauley hasnt managed a full game for the pool 18s all season, has only played a few mins for the pool 19s in the euros youth league and has not made any under 23 appearances. Ayoola at stoke has played at under 23 level and also didn't make the 19s squad. Mccauly needs to earn his recall and respect the privilege it is to play for your country.

[DannyInvincible]

An article from the Derry Journal on the experience of Derry City's Ronan Curtis as the only LOI player in the most recent Ireland under-21 squad (besides Ryan Delaney, who's on loan at Cork from Burton Albion): http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/derry-city/derry-city-ronan-curtis-thriving-off-ireland-experience-1-8194726

It mentions that Wales manager Chris Coleman is Curtis' Godfather, although I'm not sure how that came about. :confused:

[Olé Olé]

There are 3 targets in there for us also. McDermott is supposed to be a serious prospect. My worry is that Shiels being their clubs boss isn't exactly the ideal environment for any of them to switch over.

[IsMiseSean]

There are 3 targets in there for us also. McDermott is supposed to be a serious prospect. My worry is that Shiels being their clubs boss isn't exactly the ideal environment for any of them to switch over.

If McDermott was too switch in the coming months. Am I right in thinking he wouldn't be available for our U21 campaign because he's already played for the north in their qualifying?