Madeira tournament - eL players

[pineapple stu]

Madeira tournament coming up next week for the Ireland U-21s, although nominally an U-20 team. Couple of eL players involved (presumably excluding players from Setanta Cup teams) -

Squad - Rene Gilmartin (Walsall); James Russell (Chelsea); Tony Kane (Blackburn Rovers); Joe O’Cearuill (Brighton & Hove Albion); Conor Powell (Bohemians); Darren O’Dea (Celtic); Stephen O’Halloran (Aston Villa); Ryan O’Leary (Kilmarnock); Michael Synnott (Ipswich Town); James O’Brien (Dunfermline Athletic); Billy Dennehy (Sunderland); James Chambers (Shelbourne); Michael O’Connor (Crewe Alexandra); Gary Curran (Sligo Rovers); Ian Morris (S****horpe United); John Paul Kelly (Bohemians); Chris McCann (Burnley); Ronan Finn (UCD); Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town); Adam Rooney (Stoke City); Jonathan Hayes (Milton Keynes Dons)

Must admit I'm a bit surprised that Shels have a player in there - thought they'd lost all their squad, never mind one good enough to be in the Ireland U-21 squad!

Ireland play Slovakia on Tuesday 27 February, hosts Madeira on Wednesday 28 February and Portugal on Friday 2 March.

[gustavo]

Gary Curran - Sligo Rovers which is an eL team also:)

[Dodge]

HIs last club is Shels. I'd say he's "unattached"

PLayers from Pats, Cork, Derry and Drogheda weren't considered due to the Setanta Cup.

[monutdfc]

Think he played for Longford v Dundalk

[sligoman]

Yeah, Chambers is on the verge of signing(if hasn't already) for Longford.

As for Curran been selected, it's good that EL teams outside Dublin have a player selected.

[Raheny Red]

James Chambers (Shelbourne)
Must admit I'm a bit surprised that Shels have a player in there - thought they'd lost all their squad, never mind one good enough to be in the Ireland U-21 squad!


Well his contract expired just after his loan spell with WUFC so he is unattached but he was/is waiting around to see if there is a contract for him at Shels, pity really as he was our first player to come up through the ranks :rolleyes:

[pineapple stu]

although I can't see Finn hanging around UCD too long if a football club of a description come looking.
What's a "football club of a description" when it's at home?


Gary Curran - Sligo Rovers which is an eL team also:)
Missed that - cheers! When did Sligo last have an U-21 call-up?

[gustavo]

Probably Conor O'Grady back in 2000 he played vs Greece if the memory serves me correctly.
After some searching here is the team for that day
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U 21: D. Delaney (Everton); Heary (Huddersfield Town), McGovern (Arsenal), C. Delaney (UCD), Murphy (Blackburn Rovers); Healy (Celtic), B. Quinn (Coventry City) capt., Billington (Sheffielf Wednesday); Partridge (Liverpool), Freeman (Nottingham Forest), Barrett (Arsenal).
Subs: Connaughton (Athlone Town), Martyn (UCD), J. McGrath (Aston Villa), R. Baker (Shelbourne), Reddy (Sunderland), O’Grady (Sligo Rovers), Crossley (Hamilton Academical).

[De Town]

Yeah Chambers (and Jim Crawford) played for us on Saturday night against Dundalk and was very impressive.

[BohsFans]

Powell and Joxer were the only two el players to make the original squad. That's the revised squad after British based players pulled out "due to club commitments".

[Dodge]

Powell and Joxer were the only two el players to make the original squad. That's the revised squad after British based players pulled out "due to club commitments".

Fairly sure they wouldn't be the only 2 if Setanta club players were eligible

[JC_GUFC]

Probably Conor O'Grady back in 2000 he played vs Greece if the memory serves me correctly.
After some searching here is the team for that day
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U 21: D. Delaney (Everton); Heary (Huddersfield Town), McGovern (Arsenal), C. Delaney (UCD), Murphy (Blackburn Rovers); Healy (Celtic), B. Quinn (Coventry City) capt., Billington (Sheffielf Wednesday); Partridge (Liverpool), Freeman (Nottingham Forest), Barrett (Arsenal).
Subs: Connaughton (Athlone Town), Martyn (UCD), J. McGrath (Aston Villa), R. Baker (Shelbourne), Reddy (Sunderland), O’Grady (Sligo Rovers), Crossley (Hamilton Academical).

So of this lot only Murphy (who was he?), Barry Quinn, Billington (?), Richie Partridge and Graham Barrett have never played in the eircom League. (Presuming Colin Healy will in the near future!)

[pete]

I think you will soon see withdrawals by any player who actually plays first team football in the UK. Stupid time for the year for U21 games. They should be arrnaged duting senior international breaks.