Ireland U23 V Slovakia U23

[sligoman]

Republic of Ireland Under-23 squad

Barry Murphy, Shamrock Rovers
Darren Quigley, UCD
Ger O'Brien, Shamrock Rovers
Seamus Coleman, Sligo Rovers
Conor Powell, Bohemians
Conor Kenna, UCD
Gavin Peers, Sligo Rovers
Darren Murphy, Cork City
Sean Kelly, Cork City
JP Kelly, Bohemians
Paul Keegan, Drogheda United
Cillian Brennan, Derry City
Kevin Deery, Derry City
Stephen O'Donnell, Bohemians
Stephen Bradley, Drogheda United
Stephen Rice, Bohemians
Patrick Kavanagh, Bray Wanderers
Mark Quigley, St. Patrick's Athletic
Dave Mooney, Longford Town
Denis Behan, Cork City
Conor Sammon, UCD
Ger Rowe, Shamrock Rovers

Next game:

Ireland Vs. Slovakia, November 13th, Dalymount Park. k/o. 19:45

http://www.eircomloi.ie:82/news-centre/news/news-86/index.xml

[eirebhoy]

I'm actually surprised that I recognise all the names, bar Darren Murphy. I didn't realise a lot of them were U23. It certainly looks a strong squad to me, based mainly on reputation.

[SÓC]

I'm actually surprised that I recognise all the names, bar Darren Murphy. I didn't realise a lot of them were U23. It certainly looks a strong squad to me, based mainly on reputation.

One of the most promising young players at City, any time he has played he's been one of our best players on the pitch but for some reason Mr. Rico is not fond of playing him too often

[De Town]

Republic of Ireland Under-23 squad

Barry Murphy, Shamrock Rovers
Darren Quigley, UCD
Ger O'Brien, Shamrock Rovers
Seamus Coleman, Sligo Rovers
Conor Powell, Bohemians
Conor Kenna, UCD
Gavin Peers, Sligo Rovers
Darren Murphy, Cork City
Sean Kelly, Cork City
JP Kelly, Bohemians
Paul Keegan, Drogheda United
Cillian Brennan, Derry City
Kevin Deery, Derry City
Stephen O'Donnell, Bohemians
Stephen Bradley, Drogheda United
Stephen Rice, Bohemians
Patrick Kavanagh, Bray Wanderers
Mark Quigley, St. Patrick's Athletic
Dave Mooney, Longford Town
Denis Behan, Cork City
Conor Sammon, UCD
Ger Rowe, Shamrock Rovers

Next game:

Ireland Vs. Slovakia, November 13th, Dalymount Park. k/o. 19:45

http://www.eircomloi.ie:82/news-centre/news/news-86/index.xml

Out of that lot, my team would be:

Murphy
Coleman Kenna Peers Powell
Kavanagh Keegan Joxer Brennan
Mooney Quigley

[tiktok]

Murphy
Coleman Kenna Peers Powell
Kavanagh Keegan Joxer Brennan
Mooney Quigley


Murphy
O'Brien Kenna Peers Coleman
Kavanagh Keegan Murphy Brennan
Mooney Behan

would be my XI
Although you'll just have top take my word on Murphy.

I thought it was strange that no first division players featured, Cobh have a few cracking young players.

[adamcarr]

Darren Murphy is our best centre mid bar Gamble, Rico hasn't played him since the two Fifa clowns became available though.

[amaccann]

Where will the other teams be sourcing their players from? I presume the English setup won't get at the Premiership starlets, and will pick from the Championship - is there any indication of what quality to expect from the other competing teams?

[gilberto_eire]

we should have at least 1 player on that team!!.... but we're not frm dublin i suppose!!;)

[eirebhoy]

England just call it their C Team.

This is their squad:

Lance Cronin - Ebbsfleet United
Adam Bartlett - Blyth Spartans
Barry Fuller - Stevenage Borough
John Brayford - Burton Albion
Michael Morrison - Cambridge United
Ronnie Henry - Stevenage Borough
Liam Brownhill - Witton Albion
Matthew Day - Oxford United
Louis Soares - Aldershot Town
Stuart Lewis - Stevenage Borough
Russell Penn - Kidderminster Harriers
Lewis Chalmers - Aldershot Town
Mitchell Cole - Stevenage Borough
James Constable - Kidderminster Harriers
Shaun Harrad - Burton Albion
Matthew Tubbs - Salisbury City


We've been playing in these things for a few years now. played in a 4 team tournament a few months ago and this was the Ireland squad:
http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2007/05/18/story311241.asp

Italy usually pick Serie C players I think.

[bellavistaman]

Disgrace the way Shane Guthrie isnt on it.

[NeilMcD]

Is there many heading to the game tomorrow night.

[Dr. Ogba]

how much is it? (times are tough in the dr.ogba household...)

[micls]

Someone on our forum said Behan and Kelly started. Anyone have the full 11?

Fenlon must have seen Kellys incredible lob on Friday :D

[Pablo]

Ireland 2-0 Slovakia Latest

[Pablo]

Gavin Peers and Cillian Brennan the scorers. Should be half time now

[sligoman]

Tx from a friend at the game:

Starting 11:

Murphy, O'Brien, Peers, ?, Powell, McGill?, Joxer, Keegan, Brennan, Behan and Mooney.

[brandy86]

Republic of Ireland:

Barry Murphy - Shamrock Rovers,
Ger O’Brien - Shamrock Rovers,
Conor Powell – Bohemians,
Conor Kenna – UCD,
Gavin Peers - Sligo Rovers,
Paul Keegan - Drogheda United,
John Paul Kelly – Bohemians,
Stephen Rice – Bohemians,
Denis Behan - Cork City,
David Mooney - Longford Town,
Killian Brennan - Derry City

Substitutes:
Darren Quigley – UCD,
Conor Sammon – UCD,
Stephen O’Donnell – Bohemians,
Sean Kelly - Cork City,
Stephen Bradley - Drogheda United,
Ger Rowe - Shamrock Rovers,
Patrick Kavanagh - Bray Wanderers.

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2626

[sligoman]

Fenlon must have seen Kellys incredible lob on Friday :DAccording to someone at the game Sean Kelly isn't playing. He's not sure who it is in defence, it is a blonde fella but not Kelly.

[Pablo]

Strong enough team to be fair!

Pity Darren Murphy didnt make the bench

[Pablo]

2-0 result.

Another example of the failure that is Don Givens

[see's it]

2-0 result.

Another example of the failure that is Don Givens

excuse my ignorance what you mean?

[Pablo]

he would consistently have a better squad at his disposal but couldnt but a result like that. He a useless coach/manager

[SkStu]

he would consistently have a better squad at his disposal but couldnt but a result like that. He a useless coach/manager

but what was the make-up of this Slovakian team? Is it a few of their younger fringe players and U21 team? In fairness it depends on the calibre of player that the slovakian team fielded.

Though i agree Givens is a useless tosser.

[Sheridan]

It was great to see a genuinely representative Irish team play probably for the first time since the old Olympic qualifying tournament. Ireland controlled the game from start to finish (bar maybe a ten minute spell in the second half) and should have won by four or more. The Slovaks were quite small but a little better technically. First goal was a far post header by Peers from a free-kick. Second goal by Brennan was a volleyed rebound which may or may not have crossed the line before the 'keeper grabbed it (lots of hometown decisions.) Behan had a header brilliantly saved, Mooney and Rowe missed some good chances. Keegan struck the bar with a long-range belter late on. Attendance was 2,200 apparently (would have thought closer to 3,000 myself.)

I'd rate the team as follows: Murphy 6, O'Brien 8, Powell 4, Kenna 5, Peers 7, Kelly 6, Brennan 9, Keegan 8, Rice 7, Mooney 7, Behan 8. Subs: O'Donnell 7, Rowe 7, Sammon 5, Kavanagh n/a.

[pineapple stu]

Attendance was 2,200 apparently (would have thought closer to 3,000 myself.)

I'd rate the team as follows: Murphy 6, O'Brien 8, Powell 4, Kenna 5, Peers 7, Kelly 6, Brennan 9, Keegan 8, Rice 7, Mooney 7, Behan 8. Subs: O'Donnell 7, Rowe 7, Sammon 5, Kavanagh n/a.
Only the Jodi was open (capacity 2700 or so), and there were plenty of gaps, so 2200 is about right.

Would agree more or less with your ratings too. Though not sure what Powell did (or didn't do) to get the 4. Back four were largely redundant all match really.


but what was the make-up of this Slovakian team? Is it a few of their younger fringe players and U21 team?
I think - although it wasn't mentioned at the match - that it was the national U-20 team.

[cavan_fan]

It was great to see a genuinely representative Irish team play probably for the first time since the old Olympic qualifying tournament. Ireland controlled the game from start to finish (bar maybe a ten minute spell in the second half) and should have won by four or more.

How is this any more representative than the senior side (I know I shouldnt rise to this.) By the way if eirebhoy's report of the england squad for this tournament is accurate (players from the conference) and other sides are treating it like this then we should walk the tournament. Anything less would be a disgrace.

[gspain]

Judging by the players' reactions the ball did appear to cross the line. The linesman who was in line gave it straight away.

Great performance. We must have areal chance of coming out of the grup now with NI a and Belgium h to come.

[Pablo]

No doubt the vultures will be circling at these games.

[tetsujin1979]

No doubt the vultures will be circling at these games.
From the match review in today's Independent: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/brennan-runs-the-show-as-irish-sink--young-slovaks-1218735.html

A healthy 2,200 attendance at Dalymount Park included a number of scouts from cross-channel clubs with bargains on their mind.

[Stuttgart88]

From the Irish Times:

"Interested parties [i.e., English club scouts] were busy preparing festive wish-lists but whether they saw enough to part with the readies remains to be seen."

From reading this you'd swear the sole purpose of this fixture was to flog some players. Next they'll be parading them at Goff's.

[Pablo]

From the Irish Times:

"Interested parties [i.e., English club scouts] were busy preparing festive wish-lists but whether they saw enough to part with the readies remains to be seen."

From reading this you'd swear the sole purpose of this fixture was to flog some players. Next they'll be parading them at Goff's.

No thats another underage managers job

[Dodge]

How is this any more representative than the senior side (I know I shouldnt rise to this.) By the way if eirebhoy's report of the england squad for this tournament is accurate (players from the conference) and other sides are treating it like this then we should walk the tournament. Anything less would be a disgrace.
England organised it FFS. As far as I can see no country has the same entry requirements for their team. Its a makey-up competition and I wouldn't be taking it too serious. Nice for the players though

[Sheridan]

How is this any more representative than the senior side (I know I shouldnt rise to this.) By the way if eirebhoy's report of the england squad for this tournament is accurate (players from the conference) and other sides are treating it like this then we should walk the tournament. Anything less would be a disgrace.
Of course it's more legitimate than the "senior" side, these are players who have actually contributed to football in Ireland and represent the strength of the Irish game. Ireland is basically an unrepresented territory in international football so it's great to see some kind of legitimate Ireland XI take the field (just as the Catalan team only plays about once a year.) It may be a contrived competition with arbitrary eligibility criteria (why are your kind only capable of judging anything by comparison to England, by the way?) but if you're a fan of Irish football it's the closest thing you have to a national team and that makes it important.

PS: Mods - I'd move this thread to the eL section or merge with the topic there, didn't realise it was in the Oireland section.

[pineapple stu]

Have to agree, to be honest. The notion that Irish people, once they leave the country, don't represent the country any more is baffling at best.

My gut reaction from Block C (i.e. half the pitch away) was that the ball did cross the line for the second goal. That said, the keeper caught it with his back to the linesman, who surely couldn't have seen the ball's exact position, yet it was he who flagged. So either (a) it was a long way over the line or (b) the linesman had a guess.

[Supreme feet]

I suppose Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Roy O'Donovan (and all the other former EL players who decided to move abroad to make the best of their talent) aren't Irish anymore then.

If I was working for the Wexford People or Limerick Leader, and National Geographic offered me a job in America, would I cease to be Irish if I took it? Should we discount James Joyce as an Irish writer because he lived in Paris for a while? I echo tet's (now deleted) sentiments.

[cavan_fan]

Of course it's more legitimate than the "senior" side, these are players who have actually contributed to football in Ireland and represent the strength of the Irish game. Ireland is basically an unrepresented territory in international football so it's great to see some kind of legitimate Ireland XI take the field (just as the Catalan team only plays about once a year.) It may be a contrived competition with arbitrary eligibility criteria (why are your kind only capable of judging anything by comparison to England, by the way?) but if you're a fan of Irish football it's the closest thing you have to a national team and that makes it important.

PS: Mods - I'd move this thread to the eL section or merge with the topic there, didn't realise it was in the Oireland section.

I'm interested to know what my kind are?

I stick by my comment that if as most people think the eL is on a par with the english championship, lower SPL and lower dutch leagues then if the other teams are putting out players at english conference level, it's a bit pointless.

By the way what's your definition of Oireland?

[pineapple stu]

I stick by my comment that if as most people think the eL is on a par with the english championship, lower SPL and lower dutch leagues then if the other teams are putting out players at english conference level, it's a bit pointless.
Dunno about the lower Dutch leagues (you'll find Dutch teams playing in front of 1500 at some level), but I doubt most people are arguing it's as strong as the lower SPL, and fewer arguing it's as strong as the Championship.

[Dodge]

I think it would be as strong as lower SPL but nowehere near the championship. League Two/Conference is our level, and apart from 5 clubs in Scotland I'd put the rest of them at that level too

Pointless debate though, can't understand why people want to compare leagues at all. They are what they are...

[gustavo]

Of course it's more legitimate than the "senior" side, these are players who have actually contributed to football in Ireland and represent the strength of the Irish game. Ireland is basically an unrepresented territory in international football so it's great to see some kind of legitimate Ireland XI take the field (just as the Catalan team only plays about once a year.) It may be a contrived competition with arbitrary eligibility criteria (why are your kind only capable of judging anything by comparison to England, by the way?) but if you're a fan of Irish football it's the closest thing you have to a national team and that makes it important.

PS: Mods - I'd move this thread to the eL section or merge with the topic there, didn't realise it was in the Oireland section.
Thats ridiculous Sheridan , its a sad fact that our players move abroad in order to fully reach their potential , I wish it wasnt so and hopefully one day we can have a league where only the very elite will feel the need to leave but to say that the Irish national side is unrepresentative is highly unfair , There's a good chance that 4-5 of that team last night will be playing abroad in a few months time ,Will they become unrepresentative of you then if they play for their country again?

[Guts&Glory]

England just call it their C Team.

This is their squad:

Lance Cronin - Ebbsfleet United
http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2007/05/18/story311241.asp

Good news for the shareholders of the club taken over by memebers on MYClub.com team, could be some money in transfer now that he is an international player!!

[Dr. Ogba]

Of course it's more legitimate than the "senior" side, these are players who have actually contributed to football in Ireland and represent the strength of the Irish game. Ireland is basically an unrepresented territory in international football so it's great to see some kind of legitimate Ireland XI take the field (just as the Catalan team only plays about once a year.) It may be a contrived competition with arbitrary eligibility criteria (why are your kind only capable of judging anything by comparison to England, by the way?) but if you're a fan of Irish football it's the closest thing you have to a national team and that makes it important.

PS: Mods - I'd move this thread to the eL section or merge with the topic there, didn't realise it was in the Oireland section.

This is the most unbelievable post I've read on this forum. I knew there were a few EL fans with this kind of superiority "real Irish" complex about them but this is just ridiculuous.

So a young Irish lad given the chance to make a living out of football in England immediately becomes less of an Irishman because he chooses to take this chance??? Get off your bloody high horse will ya....

[Sheridan]

Thats ridiculous Sheridan , its a sad fact that our players move abroad in order to fully reach their potential
No they don't, they move abroad to make more money in leagues where players of all standards are ten-a-penny and success is based on being in the right place at the right time more than anything else. Not that I begrudge them that right, but let's call a spade a spade.

There's a good chance that 4-5 of that team last night will be playing abroad in a few months time ,Will they become unrepresentative of you then if they play for their country again?
I hope everyone who played last night remains eligible for the rest of the competition; they've all earned the right by contributing to the game in this country. Compare it to the RepublicOfIreland squad for the game against Wales; I don't follow British football so I can't be sure, but I make it that three of those twenty-two squad members have played senior football in this country, and that's abnormally high. Just think about that for a second. Three out of twenty-two is an anomaly. And that's before you even get to the players who've only ever set foot in this country to play internationals. How in the name of God does that represent Irish football rather than British football?

BTW, I fully agree with Dodge about these fatuous international comparisons between leagues, something else which stems from your average Oirish fan's inbility to comprehend anything save by comparison to England (what the **** does "Premiership standard", or "Championship standard" or "Conference standard" mean? They're meaningless terms even within the context of the English system.)

[btid1]

League Two/Conference is our level,

I wouldnt agree with this.How do you explain European performances in recent times if this is the case?

[Sheridan]

Dr. Ogba, when did I mention anything about "Irishness?" In fact, there's nothing more Irish than selling out so in that sense our exports are as Irish as they come. I'm talking about football here; Kevin Hunt may not be Irish, but he's contributed more to Irish football than the young f'la from Drimnagh who suckled coddle from his oul' one's breast but signed for some British club's academy at the age of 14 and will spend his entire career there, perhaps returning every few months to spout inane sh1te on the TV once he's outlived his usefulness.

[Dodge]

I wouldnt agree with this.How do you explain European performances in recent times if this is the case?
That the other leagues are just as bad/good


Bohs best player in recent years couldn't make a living in the lower leagues in England. Joe Gamble was released by Barnet and is a hero at Cork.

There are players in the LOI that good enough for championship in England IMO but the league over all (not just certain players) isn't anything close to the top 50-60 clubs in England.

Doens't bother me one bit in the slightest and I don't really care if Dublin fans of the British games use it as an excuse not to go to games. They'll never go anyway...

[Sheridan]

Bohs best player in recent years couldn't make a living in the lower leagues in England. Joe Gamble was released by Barnet and is a hero at Cork.
That's a bit disingenuous IMO, and doesn't mean anything. There are so many professional players and teams in England that it's harder to catch a break (I could reel off a list of world-class players who flopped in England for one reason or another, and a longer list of those who had lengthy pro careers in England and flopped in Ireland.) Roy O'Donovan was released by Coventry but later deemed good enough for the Premiership, Kevin Doyle couldn't cut it at Pat's etc etc.

These lazy cross-comparisons are largely pointless IMO. Once you delve below the elite level, it's the quality of individual players that counts, as the "standard" is universally mediocre. There are players in the Drogheda squad who'd contend for a place in Premiership teams, just as some of their team-mates wouldn't hold down a place in the Conference (or whatever it's called.) The bottom half of the eL First Division is of an apocalyptically poor standard, probably equivalent to one of those amateur leagues with names from classical antiquity in England. But that doesn't mean they get whipped every week by the superior sides, because familiarity breeds contempt.

[adamcarr]

That the other leagues are just as bad/good


Bohs best player in recent years couldn't make a living in the lower leagues in England. Joe Gamble was released by Barnet and is a hero at Cork.

There are players in the LOI that good enough for championship in England IMO but the league over all (not just certain players) isn't anything close to the top 50-60 clubs in England.

Doens't bother me one bit in the slightest and I don't really care if Dublin fans of the British games use it as an excuse not to go to games. They'll never go anyway...
Gamble wasn't released by Barnet. He was offered a new contract by them.

[billybunter]

Here, how did the under-18s get on against Germany last night?

they were beat 4-0 tuffpaddy -

[pete]

For what it is worth I think Joe Gamble is best player in the league. He would make a living in the Championship but would likely not cope with extra pace & strength required in the Premiership. He was on loan to Barnet from reading who released him. He has improved in the eL.

[Dodge]

That's a bit disingenuous IMO, and doesn't mean anything. There are so many professional players and teams in England that it's harder to catch a break (I could reel off a list of world-class players who flopped in England for one reason or another, and a longer list of those who had lengthy pro careers in England and flopped in Ireland.) Roy O'Donovan was released by Coventry but later deemed good enough for the Premiership, Kevin Doyle couldn't cut it at Pat's etc etc.
I agree, my post was more of an snwer to the (guarenteed) post about Doyle/Long etc making it in the UK


These lazy cross-comparisons are largely pointless IMO. Once you delve below the elite level, it's the quality of individual players that counts, as the "standard" is universally mediocre. There are players in the Drogheda squad who'd contend for a place in Premiership teams, just as some of their team-mates wouldn't hold down a place in the Conference
I agree 100%. As posted I've no real time for people continually trying to compare leagues