Republic of Ireland under-21 head coach Jim Crawford has named a strong 23-man squad for the European Championship qualifiers against Moldova and Andorra with Tottenham Hotspur-bound teenager Mason Melia joined among the forwards by Shamrock Rovers’ 17-year-old striker Michael Noonan.
Crawford confirmed that Noonan will link up with the Ireland under-17s ahead of the World Cup in Qatar in November after he is capped either in Moldova next Thursday or against Andorra at Tallaght Stadium on September 9th.
“Michael broke into a fantastic team at Shamrock Rovers,” said Crawford. “He’s played in Europe, he’s scored in Europe, so we couldn’t help but bring him in.
“But I think it’s important to make the point that Michael will certainly be representing the under-17s in the World Cup. Our international programme is a pathway that players can move up and move back to their age groups. Our north star as coaches here is to help the players develop and ultimately to get them into the senior team. We have a lot of good forwards but Michael will get some minutes for us.”
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Sligo Rovers’ Owen Elding and Manchester United teenager Jack Moorehouse were not selected as the English-born midfielders are currently waiting for their Irish passports to be processed.
Elding (19) is having a sensational season at the Showgrounds, scoring 11 goals to keep Rovers above the relegation zone and drive John Russell’s side into the FAI Cup quarter-final. Crawford hopes to include him against Slovakia in October.
Watford duo James Abankwah and Rocco Vata drop down from Heimir Hallgrímsson’s senior squad, where Vata was capped against Bulgaria in March while Liverpool’s highly-rated winger Trent Kone-Doherty and Southampton midfielder Romeo Akachukwu are named for the first time.
Jacob Devaney, another English-born Manchester United player is named among the defenders alongside Seán Grehan, who had an exceptional loan spell at Bohemians this season before signing a three-year contract with League One side Doncaster Rovers.
Ireland also face Lee Carsley’s England on November 14th and at home in October 2026.
“It’s also good to welcome back Mason Melia,” Crawford continued. “He’s been injured in the last window but he’s going through a rich vein of form at the minute [for St Patrick’s Athletic], scoring goals and his movement is getting better.”
In 2018, Stephen Kenny flooded the Ireland under-21s team with teenagers like Troy Parrott and Crawford is following the process of selecting players “if they are good enough, they are old enough” as 10 teenagers make the squad.
However, only three League of Ireland clubs are represented with Jad Hakiki from Sligo, Noonan from Rovers joining Melia.
Denis Hyland has been added to the coaching staff as Stephen Rice departed the FAI to work under Brentford manager Keith Andrews in the Premier League. Paul McShane continues to double job as Crawford’s number two and assistant coach at Huddersfield.
Former Shamrock Rovers winger Kevin Zefi (20) was not considered for selection as the Dubliner is not currently playing at any level for his club AS Roma.
“Kevin has talent,” said Crawford, “but he needs to get to a club and start playing, either in the UK at under-21s or back home.”
Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad
Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Brestois), Aaron Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur), Andrew Wogan (Chester FC, on loan from Stockport County).
Defenders: James Abankwah (Watford), Jacob Devaney (Manchester United), Seán Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Jacob Slater (Brighton), Freddie Turley (Derby County).
Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Jad Hakiki (Sligo Rovers), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Murphy (Bristol City), Harry Vaughan (Hull City).
Forwards: Cian Dillon (QPR), Trent Kone-Doherty (Liverpool), Mason Melia (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Mark O’Mahony (Reading, on loan from Brighton), Rocco Vata (Watford).
Fixtures
Thursday, September 4th
Moldova Under-21 v Ireland Under-21, Nisporeni Central, Nisporeni, Moldova, 5pm
Tuesday, September 9th
Ireland Under-21 v Andorra Under-21, Tallaght Stadium, 7.30pm
