Under-15 Squad

[Rayzor]

For the 2nd yr in a row these under 15 squad announcements have been depressing. Either there is absolutely no talent in muster, despite cork having arguably the most successful academy in the country or Roy Keane was right about inferior players from Dublin been picked at the expense of players outside Dublin.

[elatedscum]

i do think it's a bit cyclical. There were a good group of cork lads recently around 2004, 2005, 2006. I remember seeing an u16 or u17 side for the 2005 group with Mark O'Mahony, Franco Umeh, Joe O'Brien Whitmarsh and Cathal Heffernan, all from Cork. More recently Cathal O'Sullivan and Jayden Umeh are other names that come to mind. I have heard there are issues in Cork County with kids only playing one game every two weeks at younger age groups, which i could totally imagine would stunt or delay footballing growth by say u15.

There was a trend of players from all across the island playing for Dublin teams. Someone like Oisin McEntee living in Monaghan and playing for Belvo and I remember Rovers having quite a lot of lads like that about 5 years ago. However this team seems mostly Dublin based. You do have about 41% of the country living in what's described as the greater dublin area, but the fact that basically 18 of 20 (Ayden was at Joey's before moving to Germany) came from Dublin clubs is I would think expressive of Dublin sides having better youth facilities, coaching, infrastructure etc. I honestly think they're looking throughout the country. 20 years ago that was a different story, maybe.

Honestly thinking about it - i'd worry the emerging talent program (designed for 12-15 year olds) being underfunded and eventually scrapped has meant that players outside dublin are now not at the same level as players inside Dublin. and this is the fruit of that decision...

[Rayzor]

i do think it's a bit cyclical. There were a good group of cork lads recently around 2004, 2005, 2006. I remember seeing an u16 or u17 side for the 2005 group with Mark O'Mahony, Franco Umeh, Joe O'Brien Whitmarsh and Cathal Heffernan, all from Cork. More recently Cathal O'Sullivan and Jayden Umeh are other names that come to mind. I have heard there are issues in Cork County with kids only playing one game every two weeks at younger age groups, which i could totally imagine would stunt or delay footballing growth by say u15.

There was a trend of players from all across the island playing for Dublin teams. Someone like Oisin McEntee living in Monaghan and playing for Belvo and I remember Rovers having quite a lot of lads like that about 5 years ago. However this team seems mostly Dublin based. You do have about 41% of the country living in what's described as the greater dublin area, but the fact that basically 18 of 20 (Ayden was at Joey's before moving to Germany) came from Dublin clubs is I would think expressive of Dublin sides having better youth facilities, coaching, infrastructure etc. I honestly think they're looking throughout the country. 20 years ago that was a different story, maybe.

Honestly thinking about it - i'd worry the emerging talent program (designed for 12-15 year olds) being underfunded and eventually scrapped has meant that players outside dublin are now not at the same level as players inside Dublin. and this is the fruit of that decision...

Not sure about cyclical thing to be honest. The national league at that age, is divided into 4 regional groups. While you could argue that group B is weaker than the others, Cork City are top and have a similar record than Rovers do in group A. Rovers have 11 players in the squad, basically their entire first team, City have 0.

[tetsujin1979]

Drew the first game against Czechia 1-1: https://www.fai.ie/latest/report-bu15-late-goal-earns-1-1-draw-czechia/
Lost the second game 2-0 against Austria: https://www.fai.ie/latest/report-bu15-austria-2-0-ireland/
Beat Saudi Arabia 3-0 in the third game: https://www.fai.ie/latest/report-bu15-ireland-cruise-3-0-win-over-saudi-arabia/
Facing the United Arab Emirates later today

[tetsujin1979]

Final game finished 2-0 to Ireland
https://www.fai.ie/latest/report-bu15-ireland-2-0-uae/

The FAI has reported racist abuse of their players during the game
https://www.fai.ie/latest/fai-statement-ireland-boys-under-15s/

[elatedscum]

Final game finished 2-0 to Ireland
https://www.fai.ie/latest/report-bu15-ireland-2-0-uae/

The FAI has reported racist abuse of their players during the game
https://www.fai.ie/latest/fai-statement-ireland-boys-under-15s/

reminds me of Sinclair Armstrong being racially abused against Kuwait

[Buckett]

The FAI are correct to make a complaint of course but did the team take any action on the pitch? There's only one answer for that kind behaviour imo, and that's to target the offending player

[CraftyToePoke]

Long read RTÉ article today on that 15s squad imbalance, which does concede scouting gaps & a general disconnect between the Dublin power centre and the regions but also deals with the rising standards within the greater Dublin area & the need to bridge that countrywide.

Is there no player in Derry, Sligo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Waterford etc better than any one of eleven SR players ? You'd have to think there is. Roy Keane never selected as a youngster also mentioned naturally. Worth a read.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/0501/1510535-ireland-squad-highlights-imbalance-at-academy-level/

[Rayzor]

Long read RTÉ article today on that 15s squad imbalance, which does concede scouting gaps & a general disconnect between the Dublin power centre and the regions but also deals with the rising standards within the greater Dublin area & the need to bridge that countrywide.

Is there no player in Derry, Sligo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Waterford etc better than any one of eleven SR players ? You'd have to think there is. Roy Keane never selected as a youngster also mentioned naturally. Worth a read.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/0501/1510535-ireland-squad-highlights-imbalance-at-academy-level/

At u15 level the league is divided up regionally into 4 leagues. Group b has the munster teams, as well as Kilkenny, that's about 25% of our population and not one player from the division has been called up the squad, while rovers have 11, very bizarre.

[elatedscum]

At u15 level the league is divided up regionally into 4 leagues. Group b has the munster teams, as well as Kilkenny, that's about 25% of our population and not one player from the division has been called up the squad, while rovers have 11, very bizarre.

in fairness, it's not like players aren't being seen at all. Just take Waterford as an example, they had 5 lads called up last June in trials for this side. Cormac Lowry, Temmy Gazal, Caydn Morgan, Zak Fenton and Joel Obesie. Temmy Gazal was selected in January for the squad against Australia - the other 4 lads never got a call-up. It would be similar with each club. If I were guessing, I'd say it's more about development over identification...

[nigel-harps1954]

in fairness, it's not like players aren't being seen at all. Just take Waterford as an example, they had 5 lads called up last June in trials for this side. Cormac Lowry, Temmy Gazal, Caydn Morgan, Zak Fenton and Joel Obesie. Temmy Gazal was selected in January for the squad against Australia - the other 4 lads never got a call-up. It would be similar with each club. If I were guessing, I'd say it's more about development over identification...

Finn Harps had a couple of lads in at assessments but chose to go with Northern Ireland instead. There's definitely a feeling that players outside Dublin aren't being given a fair chance.

[tetsujin1979]

Game against Poland was streamed on YouTube earlier
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