Kerr's Kids: Safe in his hands

Dean Delaney (GK)

Club: Everton.

Born: 1/9/80.

Played with Cherry Orchard here before moving to England. Has three caps at Youths level and won FA Youths Cup medal with Everton last season.

Alex O'Reilly (GK)

Club: West Ham.

Born: 5/9/79.

Father from Longford. The Londoner made Irish under-21 debut before playing for the youths, but has done very well in his three caps at this level, keeping clean sheets on every occasion.

Thomas Heery (Def)

Club: Huddersfield.

Born: 14/2/79.

A full back who is in his second year as an international at this level. The Dubliner played in Iceland and has been a regular in Kerr's sides since. Can also play in the centre of defence.

Richard Dunne (Def)

Club: Everton.

Born: 21/9/79.

Having won his first cap against Poland in 1996, the big centre half has played a further 10 times at Youths level, most recently in the second leg of the play-off against Greece when his performance caught the eye of senior manager Mick McCarthy. A member of Everton's Youth Cup-winning panel, the 18-year-old who previously played with Home Farm has made a number of first team appearances at Goodison Park.

Keith Doyle (Def)

Club: St Patrick's Athletic.

Born: 20/7/79.

The only one of the panel based in Ireland, Doyle has quickly made a name for himself since joining Kerr's successor, Pat Dolan, at Inchicore from Belvedere Boys. Edged his way into the first team within a couple of months and went on to make an outstanding contribution to their title win.

Gary Doherty (Def/For)

Club: Luton Town.

Born: 31/1/80.

Talented player born in Donegal but brought up in England. Now playing regularly with Luton Town's first team where he tends to be employed up front. Made his Youths debut against Norway in May 1997 and has switched regularly between the front and back lines over the course of his 11 caps at this level. Doherty is likely to figure strongly in this tournament.

Jason Gavin (Def)

Club: Middlesbrough.

Born: 14/3/80.

An able centre-half, he did well in Monday's warm-up match against Shelbourne. Calm under pressure, Gavin is a good tackler and passer of the ball who is well capable of carrying play forward into midfield.

Ger Crossley (Mid)

Club: Celtic.

Born: 5/2/80.

Actually played schoolboy football with the North (he was born in Belfast), but never competitively and switched to the Republic in order to play in the Under-16 European Championships in Austria two years ago. A creative central midfielder, Crossley is highly rated by his club and by Kerr who has capped him five times.

Barry Quinn (Mid)

Club: Coventry City.

Born: 9/5/79.

An exceptional player from Templeogue around whom Kerr has built his team, Quinn has been an ever-present at this level for the last two years and recently made his 21st appearance at Youths level - edging ahead of Damien Duff's record of 20 games. A powerful runner who started his career with Manor Town, he is a fine passer of the ball. The 19year-old can also score goals.

Alan Quinn (Mid)

Club: Sheffield Wednesday.

Born: 13/6/79.

Another good midfielder, Quinn broke into the first team at Sheffield Wednesday towards the end of last season. Has earned six caps so far. Scored against Austria in this year's Oporto tournament which the Irish went on to win and opened the scoring in the second playoff leg against Greece at Tolka Park. A left-sided player with plenty of pace, he has come a long way since leaving Cherry Orchard for England before Christmas.

Ronnie O'Brien (Mid/For)

Club: Middlesbrough.

Born: 5/1/79.

Has made steady progress in the youths and reserves at Middlesbrough having moved there from his native Bray where he played with Wolftones, Wayside Celtic and St Joseph's Boys. Can fill a number of roles in the team, but tends to be used as an attacking midfielder.

Liam George (For)

Club: Luton Town.

Born: 2/2/79.

Top scorer in a good Luton Town youth team the season before last, George made some progress towards the first team last season and has four senior appearances to his credit so far. Has impressed on his outings for the national team with his ability to run with the ball at his feet, hold play up, create chances for others and also have a crack at goal.

Richard Partridge (For)

Club: Liverpool.

Born: 12/9/80.

Outstanding prospect who won junior player of the year at Anfield last season. Has pace, vision, a great touch and can play on either side. Likes to take on and beat defenders. Expected to start figuring in Roy Evans's first team plans over the coming season and sure to be a part of Kerr's for the coming week.

Robbie Keane (For)

Club: Wolves.

Born: 8/7/80.

One of the stars of the side, Keane has plenty of experience of first-team football in England where he has already firmly established himself at Wolves, scoring 11 goals in 34 starts last season. Previously with Fettercairn and Crumlin.

Ryan Casey (Mid)

Club: Swansea City.

Born: 3/1/79.

Having gone to Wales shortly after his 16th birthday, Casey has made more than 30 first team appearances for his club. A versatile left-sided player who can fit in equally well in the centre of or wide in midfield, at full back or even up front. Schoolboy career was spent at Newcastle United and Hibernians (Galway) and Belvedere Boys (Dublin).

Paul Donnolly (Def/Mid)

Club: Leeds United.

Born: 31/8/79.

Able midfielder who has increasingly been employed as a centre half at club level where he has done well. Has plenty of talent and is expected to flourish over the next couple of seasons but has been a little unlucky recently with injuries. Played with Tolka Rovers and Home Farm before heading for England.

Stephen McPhail (Mid)

Club: Leeds United.

Born: 9/12/79.

Promising midfielder who produced flashes of brilliance during his four first-team appearances for Leeds last season. A good link player between defence and attack, passing is McPhail's long suit and he seems likely to figure in Kerr's midfield alongside Barry Quinn at least some of the time this week.

David Freeman (For)

Club: Nottingham Forest.

Born: 25/11/79.

Former Cherry Orchard striker, the Dubliner has figured in several of Kerr's sides over the last 18 months and earned a call-up for next week's tournament thanks to Damien Duff's withdrawal from the squad due to injury.

Key: GK - goalkeeper; Def - defender; Mid - midfielder; For - forward.