U17 Squad Announced for Elite Qualifyers!

[olegunnar]

Tough group for the girls, who were beaten 2-1 by Sweden in last competitive match. Anyone know any of the players, what are they like???


King’s side have been drawn against Scotland, Norway and tournament hosts France, with only one place on offer for the UEFA Championships Finals to be held at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon in Switzerland in May. The Irish side will have to carry through their fine form which secured their passage from the first qualifying phase if they are to topple the highly regarded France, Norway and Scotland.

Included in the squad is eircom/FAI player of the year, Gillian McDonnell and Kilkenny’s Piltown defender, Karen Duggan who are also involved with Susan Ronan’s Women’s under 19 squad.

The Irish women’s under 17 side have been busy in their preparation for the Elite qualifying phase as they took on Poland in a double international friendly in February. King’s side lost the first encounter 2-1 while Amy Ryan and captain, Karen Duggan netted in a 2-1 victory over the Eastern Europeans in the second meeting. The Under 17 side are currently based in the Algarve where they under-going intensive training ahead of their busy schedule.

Sixteen of the original 40 entrants are still in the running to reach the finals, and will compete in four second qualifying round mini-tournaments. In the Final tournament in Nyon, the top three finishers will qualify for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand from 28 October to 16 November, 2008.


Republic of Ireland Squad
Zoe Doherty - Carndonagh
Karen Duggan - Piltown
Emer Flatley - Salthill Devon
Gillian McDonnell - Dundalk City WFC
Julie Ann Russell - Salthill Devon
Amy Ryan - Stella Maris
Rebecca Walsh - Salthill Devon
Tanya Kennedy - Finn Valley
Megan Campbell - Moneymore
Anna McCormack - Cam Celtic
Niamh Reid Burke - Raheny
Eilish Ward - Finn Valley
Emily Hanney - Stella Maris
Dora Gorman - Salthill Devons
Maria Delahunty - Benfica
Maria Harrington - Westport Utd
Sinead Crotty - CFC United (USA)

Manager
Noel King

[Number9]

I believe that a few of the girls are actually U15s (born 1993) - please correct me if I'm wrong - Karen Duggan is an U17, is very athletic, similar to Naimh Mulcahy who played U17/U19 last year, but without the blistering pace.

I think that Zoe (apologies but her surname escapes me) who plays with Ballincollig has been called up. She has represented Munster at centre back and right fullback in the Gaynor Cup for the last few years and has been outstanding every time I have seen her.

It's a very hectic program for the girls - combining soccer and study - Anna McCormack of Cam Celtic should also be representing her school tomorrow in the Senior Cup semi final. Nearly 2 weeks out of 4 in March away from their studies - it's a pity that the competitions can't be organised around school holidays - but ideal I suppose for those in TY.

Who's the "American" girl?

[ramladies]

I think that Zoe (apologies but her surname escapes me) who plays with Ballincollig has been called up. She has represented Munster at centre back and right fullback in the Gaynor Cup for the last few years and has been outstanding every time I have seen her.

Murphy is her name, play in same league as her and must say wat a brillant player she is.
know Yvonne Cahill of Lakewood was called up for their friendly against poland must say brillant player also to watch.
both still young so alot more can be expected from them

[olegunnar]

Scotland 1 - 0 Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland women's U17 team were frustrated twice in their opening match in the UEFA Championship qualifying series in France when they had the ball in the Scotland net twice only to be whistled back for infringements.

Scotland were physically the stronger team and were buoyed by a first half lead goal that put them in control of the game. But a spirited Ireland side came back strongly at them and were a little unfortunate that one, at least, of the "goals" that Amy Ryan put into the net did not count.

Ireland will continue to seek the results they need to make it to the second qualifying stage when they play hosts France and Norway in the coming days.

Scotland took the lead after 28 minutes when the Scottish attack followed up on a Niamh Reid Burke clearance; the resulting goal-mouth scramble in the Irish box was poked home by the Scottish to give their side a deserved lead at half time.

The Irish responded very strongly after half time and Stella Maris player, Amy Ryan had the ball in the net on two occasions but the officials ruled them offside.

The Irish now clearly face a difficult task in advancing from a group that also includes France and Norway. Ireland play the hosts France on Thursday and complete the qualifying tournament by playing Norway on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland squad will not concede until it is a mathematical certainty that they cannot advance. Manager, Noel King, spoke of their disappointment at having the ball in the Scottish net twice only to be denied by the referee's whistle but took a lot of positives from the game.

“We didn’t start very well at all and we may have been lucky to be going in at the break at just one goal down.

"The girls responded marvellously in the second half - the Scottish side were big and strong but the girls challenged for everything and they really pushed hard for the equaliser in the closing minutes.

“I would have hoped that we could have started the game with the same purpose that we finished the game, I feel that the goal we conceded had a strong suspicion of offside and to have two goals at the other end disallowed was disappointing.

"This team have taken massive strides forward; we are competing with some of the strongest sides in Europe and I feel that we have to be qualifying for the Elite Qualifying phases year-in and year-out to gain that experience.

"Our long term plans are about developing the game at this level and I hope that in the near future we will be strong contenders and not just participants,” added King.


Republic of Ireland
Niamh Reid Burke – Raheny
Anna McCormack - Cam Celtic
Megan Campbell – Moneymore
Emer Flatley - Salthill Devon
Emily Hanney - Stella Maris
Karen Duggan – Piltown
Amy Ryan - Stella Maris
Julie Ann Russell - Salthill Devon
Gillian McDonnell - Dundalk City WFC
Zoe Doherty – Carndonagh
Eilish Ward - Finn Valley

Substitutes
Tanya Kennedy - Finn Valley
Dora Gorman - Salthill Devons
Maria Delahunty - Benfica
Maria Harrington - Westport Utd
Sinead Crotty - CFC United (USA)
Lucy Anne Hannon - Salthill Devon FC
Zoe Murphy - Ballincollig FC

Manager
Noel King

[37Beour]

Wondering does anyone have any thoughts on the following. First i see the Gaynor cup age group have been dropped a year. Next the FAI have scrapped the U18 national cup; so where does any one out of U16's get experience against better oppostition. All that is available to them is senior soccer and if a player is associated with a team outside of the junior and intermediate cups as in an WFAI Senior Cup team it will be extremely difficult for them to develop and progress. Now i see on the reading the FAI website, Noel King is thrilled to have three 14 year old players on U17 international team. The question i would like to ask is why are there three 14 year olds doing on an U17 team? Is it not an insult to everyone in the game that Noel King does not find the time to scout for players of the right age and maturity to fill the positions in question?

I just think it is shocking to say the least.

[Wexford Rules]

Your observations are interesting to say the least. Firstly the change in Gaynor Cup age limits came about as a direct request from the WDU and to be honest I think its a better idea as I dont think one player has been discovered for International duty cos of the under eighteen Gaynor but I could be wrong and primarily the Gaynor is an International trial

As regards the under eighteen cup, several teams enter it (17 last year) of which 8 gave walkovers in the opening rounds and one more gave a walkover in the semi final so really it is a tough one to call. Traditionally, the under eighteen age group is the toughest to run in any club, let it be male or female, and consequently clubs find it difficult to field teams at this age level

There is talk of a weekend club/league tournament later in the year for this age group but nothing concrete has been decided yet

[olegunnar]

my thinking is that it'd be better to have 18 players in the squad that are all in the last year of availability, ie all u17. in the whole country, this should be possible no?

as well as that...

that our set-up should be that we have interleague, or province based underage squads in all ages,
bring them together to train and play matches.
make sure all their managers/coaches have fai numbers to contact noel and co, and that noel and co would attend matches and watch them play

oh wait, we have the gaynor cup....??
or am i wrong? i was once before...

[37Beour]

Gaynor Cup is a great tournament but not all the best girls get to play for one reason or another. The fact is if a player is not lucky enough to get an international call up early at U15-U17 level, the chances are they won't and don't make it to any of the older squads. Girls mature later and alot have been overlooked. Overlapping squads is an easy option and in the future it will catch up with us for not putting the proper resources and time into girls soccer. There are some super girls playing around the country and some would be in contention for Irish positions if only they were looked at by the people in Dublin!

In reference to my previous comment about three 14 year olds on U17 team....

FAI U17 Report--

"Scotland were physically the stronger team"

Noel King---

"the Scottish side were big and strong"

Somehow i think having three 14year olds on the side didn't help against a mature Scottish team

[ASR27]

regards the u18 cup last year. far as i remember the 1st round clashed with oxegen, people organising competitions didn't know about it - THAT makes it hard to get girls to play at u18 level.

[olegunnar]

37-B, i agree totally that players can miss out on making a squad at the gaynor, as well as developing late as a player, even as a physical athlete she could develop later in years than a U15/U13 event...

Maybe the gaynor shouldnt be the one-off event that we are used to? More like that from this years u13 squads, there is a continual coaching/assessment of players to aid continual development. even a monthly session with fai/local coaches/emerging talent then thats an extra 24 sessions before they are on the u15 gaynor. new players can be looked at, players that didnt make the sqaud could attend...

maybe this is the kind of idea we should push post gaynor??

[olegunnar]

also, by my thinking, 2 14's were on the bench, and not playing, so saying we had 3 14's involved is prob just a spin...

i already indicated i think we should have 18 players at 17 playing in u17, so my colours are nailed to mast on that one, but i'm just clarifying the point on 14s playing v scotland.

[olegunnar]

http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scotland...&curpageid=855

This is the scots squad for the same tourny we were in, they had 2 14's and 3 15's in the squad, and a 14 y.o. scored against us! She plays for Motherwell...

sorry to drive home 3 posts in a row, but just making comparison

[chick]

....find the time to scout for players of the right age and maturity to fill the positions in question?

I just think it is shocking to say the least.

Completely agree,
Same can be said for the u19 squad -
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=3022

Eight of the current squad are still under 17!

[Number9]

Completely agree,
Same can be said for the u19 squad -
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=3022

Eight of the current squad are still under 17!

Leaving Cert might have something to do with the U19s - a girl is entitled to put her studies before soccer....

Agree with previous posts however and in particular the FAI/WFAI disregard for the girls born in 1990.

[olegunnar]

would anyone buy an idea that the reason we have a young element to our underage squads could be a vain hope that by the time these girls are at the last age of eligibility, they will have benefitted by previous event experience... that younger girls are picked ahead of older ones when their abilities are the same, in the hope that by the time their year comes around, we might have a better chance???

or we just have a smaller talent pool than the rest, with a weak scouting/player development philosophy...