International U23 Challenge Trophy

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27/08/2009, 2:16 PM
gspain

International U23 Challenge Trophy

Thoroughly enjoyed this last time up until that late goal v Belgium at Dalymount that knocked us out.

Press Release

Football Association of Ireland

August 27th, 2009

Young league stars to compete in International Challenge Trophy

The League of Ireland will return to the international stage after the Football Association of Ireland today confirmed that the Republic of Ireland will be entering a team into the Under-23 International Challenge Trophy. The Republic of Ireland squad will be selected from players under the age of 23 currently playing in the League of Ireland.

Eleven countries have confirmed their participation in the tournament, which will run until spring 2011. The draw for the International Challenge Trophy will take place at a meeting of participating Football Associations in Dublin tomorrow. Teams will be drawn into three groups, two of four countries and one of three. The position of manager of the Republic of Ireland Under-23 team will be confirmed over the coming weeks.

The Republic of Ireland�s participation in the International Challenge Trophy is an important aspect of the FAI�s commitment to promoting and developing the League of Ireland. While tournament rules allow squads to be picked from players based outside the domestic league, the FAI has opted to select only players based in the League of Ireland in order to give young players in the league added experience and exposure.

This will be the second International Challenge Trophy, following the campaign which commenced in November 2007 and ran until May of this year. The Republic of Ireland side performed excellently in the competition, defeating Slovakia and Northern Ireland before narrowly missing out qualification to the final after losing 2-1 to eventual competition winners Belgium.

Players involved in the last tournament - including David Mooney, Seamus Coleman, Stephen Rice, Killian Brennan and Paul Keegan - have gone on to establish themselves at clubs at home and abroad.

The International Challenge Trophy has been expanded from eight to eleven teams for the upcoming tournament. Participating countries are as follows:

Belgium

England

Estonia

Italy

Malta

Northern Ireland

Poland

Portugal

Republic of Ireland

Romania

Wales

Squads will be restricted to players under the age of 23 who have not won senior international honours.

Fran Gavin, Director of the League of Ireland, said that the International Challenge Trophy would give young League of Ireland players another opportunity to impress on the international stage:

�The International Challenge Trophy is a fantastic opportunity for young players in the League of Ireland to test themselves against very good players from across Europe. We were very happy with how our team performed in the last tournament, with only a last minute goal from a strong Belgium side denying us a place in the final. Our clubs have performed very well in European competition over recent years and the International Challenge Trophy allows us to select some of our brightest young talents and perform as a league on the international stage.�

Pat Duffy, who is vice-chairperson of the International Challenge Trophy, said that International Challenge Trophy offers important experience for young League of Ireland players.

�Players who featured in the last competition have gone on to establish themselves as key players in teams at home and abroad. We have some tremendously talented young players in the League of Ireland and the International Challenge Trophy allows us to showcase that talent. The FAI�s decision to enter into the tournament is a fantastic boost for the League of Ireland. I would like to thank John Delaney, Milo Corcoran and the International Committee for their commitment to the International Challenge Trophy.�

ENDS
27/08/2009, 2:36 PM
Longfordian

Is Fenlon still the manager?. It was he and Alan Mathews and possibly Pete Mahon in the management set up if I remember rightly.
27/08/2009, 2:38 PM
sligoman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Is Fenlon still the manager?

Says the in article 'The position of manager of the Republic of Ireland Under-23 team will be confirmed over the coming weeks.'
27/08/2009, 2:41 PM
Longfordian

Oh yeah, so it does. I just skimmed through it. Cheers for pointing that out to me.
27/08/2009, 5:10 PM
holidaysong

Given Fenlon's interview on MNS there a couple of weeks I doubt he'll still be manager this time around..
27/08/2009, 5:14 PM
micls

Who do people think should be considered from their teams?

Not many from us really, depending on quality elsewhere(not sure of ages) I think Shane Duggan should be in with a shout at centre mid. Only other options for us Id say would be Kevin Long at centre half, lad is gonna be a star but he's only 18, or as a long shot Billy Dennehy if theyre stuck for wingers. Hasn't really hit form since he got injured though
27/08/2009, 5:27 PM
Mr Maroon

From us:

Seamus Conneely
John Russell
Garry Breen
27/08/2009, 5:28 PM
holidaysong

Michael Daly (centre midfield) and Shaun Kelly (right back/winger) from Dundalk.. Maybe Tiernan Mulvenna (striker/winger).
27/08/2009, 5:30 PM
micls

Can people put the positions next to the player to give an idea of the options in different areas?

Michael Daly looked quality against us
27/08/2009, 5:38 PM
SkStu

Conor Powell (LB)
Gary Deegan (CM)

it wont happen but it would also be nice, from my perspective, to see Paddy Madden (FW) and Mark Hughes (FW) called up.
27/08/2009, 5:41 PM
holidaysong

They probably will if Fenlon is manager... :eek: ;)
27/08/2009, 6:32 PM
Ezeikial

Quote:

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Michael Daly (centre midfield) and Shaun Kelly (right back/winger) from Dundalk.. Maybe Tiernan Mulvenna (striker/winger).

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkStu

Conor Powell (LB)
Gary Deegan (CM)

it wont happen but it would also be nice, from my perspective, to see Paddy Madden (FW) and Mark Hughes (FW) called up.

Michael Daly, Shaun Kelly, Conor Powell and Gary Deegan must all be cast-iron certainties (Powell is the most exciting LB I have seen for a long time).

Tiernan Mulvenna is probably not good enough (might never be), but Paddy Madden looks a good prospect.
27/08/2009, 7:03 PM
Martinho II

I hope that they will pick players from the first division as our own tom king whos a left back can easily play in the top flight here as hes that good...
27/08/2009, 8:11 PM
DeNiro

Was there any first div players in it last year? I would expect Ronan Finn (UCD) to be in with a shout of making the squad at least!
27/08/2009, 9:13 PM
stann

Would love to see a few Div 1 players involved, but of course they won't be.

From us, Fletch could definitely be there, 23 this month, would he qualify? Depends when it's to start I guess.
Also WJK (21) and Biggles (22) surely would be in with a shout also what with their 38 goals between them this year.

That's Kenny Browne (centre half), Willie John Kiely (striker) and Graham Cummins (centre forward). :D

If only one Div 1 player gets in it must be Finn, head and shoulders the best player in the Division.
28/08/2009, 9:18 AM
pineapple stu

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeNiro

Was there any first div players in it last year? I would expect Ronan Finn (UCD) to be in with a shout of making the squad at least!

Wasn't there a Cobh player? (Back when they were a First Division team) Finny has to be in with a shout alright.
28/08/2009, 2:04 PM
gspain

We are in the 3 team group with England and Estonia.

Ireland to open International Challenge Trophy campaign with home match against England

The Republic of Ireland Under-23 team will face England and Estonia in the International Challenge Trophy, following the draw for the competition which was held in Dublin today.

The Irish team, which will consist entirely of League of Ireland players under the age of 23, will begin their campaign in spring 2010 with a home fixture against England. Fixture dates and venues will be confirmed over the coming weeks.

Ireland were drawn in Group B in the International Challenge Trophy and will need to secure a top two finish in order to qualify for the semi finals of the tournament. The complete draw is as follows:

A - Italy, Romania, Malta, Belgium

B Ireland, england, estonia

C Poland, Portugal, Northern Ireland, wales.

The Republic of Ireland’s participation in the International Challenge Trophy is an important aspect of the FAI’s commitment to promoting and developing the League of Ireland. While tournament rules allow squads to be picked from players based outside the domestic league, the FAI has opted to select only players based in the League of Ireland in order to give young players in the league added experience and exposure.

At the meeting of participating Football Associations in Dublin today, the FAI’s Pat Duffy was elected Chairman of the International Challenge Trophy. Archimede Pitrolo of the Italian Football Association was elected as Vice-Chair of the tournament.

ENDS
28/08/2009, 2:07 PM
Sheridan

Good stuff. Should be a big crowd at that one, there were very respectable crowds at least year's games. Don't see how two can through from Ireland's group, though? :confused:
28/08/2009, 2:34 PM
gspain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Good stuff. Should be a big crowd at that one, there were very respectable crowds at least year's games. Don't see how two can through from Ireland's group, though? :confused:

Assume it is the 3 group winners and the best runner up.
28/08/2009, 2:43 PM
GalwayRed

If any division 1 players are getting in then Dave McAllister has to be in with a shout. One of the best players in this divsion without a doubt.
28/08/2009, 3:55 PM
Sheridan

Quote:

Originally Posted by gspain

Assume it is the 3 group winners and the best runner up.

Yeah, but it says Ireland will "secure" a place in the semis by finishing in the top two. That can't be right, if anything the second place team in the three-team group should be excluded from consideration.
28/08/2009, 4:12 PM
pineapple stu

No, it says Ireland "need to secure a top two finish in order to qualify for the semi finals". Subtle difference. They presumably also need to do better than the other two runners-up, but they do need to finish top two.

It doesn't say anything about securing a place in the semis; you've misquoted the article. (Easy thing to do with FAI spin in fairness)
28/08/2009, 11:48 PM
CF1989

coleman and o'shea big losses for this squad after their moves to england

for us gavin peers should be called up, unless he's 24 before the cut off date. no one else really.
29/08/2009, 4:28 AM
WexCar

were england in the last tournament? if so what their squad look like & what will it likely be like this time round?
29/08/2009, 10:36 AM
gspain

Quote:

Originally Posted by WexCar

were england in the last tournament? if so what their squad look like & what will it likely be like this time round?

Yes they were in a group with Italy, Finland and Wales I think. It was between them and Italy for a place in the final but I lost interest when Belgium put us out.

They used Conference players last time out.
29/08/2009, 10:44 AM
Sheridan

Belgium beat them 1-0 in the final in Oxford.

It's an England C team, so I think it's semi-pro players, for the purposes of this tournament under-23 (although they're not obliged to field underage players.)
27/09/2009, 5:32 PM
DeNiro

Anyone know for definite if Nutsy is taking this gig on again next year?

Will be an interesting squad when picked. Paul Keegan, Jay O'Shea, Killian Brennan, etc won't be there this time. Doubt Gary Deegan will be in EL when the squad is picked.
27/09/2009, 8:22 PM
Acornvilla

Quote:

From us:

Seamus Conneely
John Russell
Garry Breen

we al dream of a team of gary breens.......
27/09/2009, 8:57 PM
gufc2000

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Maroon

From us:

Seamus Conneely
John Russell
Garry Breen

Agree with that, three of our most consistent performers this season, and have been linked with moves across channel
27/09/2009, 9:01 PM
Acornvilla

tom king that plays for us actually cold be good enough.. if he wants it hell definatly be playing in the premier in a year of two he is certiannly too good for us as we are this season
12/01/2010, 5:15 PM
DeNiro

Are Ireland still partaking in this set-up? There has been very little about it. I vaguely remember hearing that the England game would be in March, surely there must be a manager in place at this stage? Anyone know anything?