Ward takes lead role after striking impact in Madeira

Under-21 International Republic of Ireland v Sweden: Bohemians striker Stephen Ward looks to be the biggest winner to have emerged from the Republic of Ireland's surprise success at the recent Madeira under-21 tournament with the Dubliner's performances over the course of the event's three games earning him a lead role against Sweden in Drogheda tonight.

"I'd worked with Stephen before," said manager Don Givens yesterday, "but he's got strength from somewhere during the time we weren't together because his performances in Madeira were excellent, they really were. He won everything in the air, held it up well, his first touch was good and he took the scoring chances that came his way. Going out there even I was wondering whether there was any point to the tournament we'd had so many withdrawals but then you see something like that and you know there is.

"Two years ago Kevin Doyle took a big jump forward with his performances there and hopefully, this time the same is true of Stephen."

Gary Dicker, Richard Keogh and Keith Keane were amongst the other players to shine when given the chance in Madeira and while none makes the starting line-up this evening, Givens is pleased with the performances of players he is clearly marking down as potentially key figures of the future.

Ward will lead a three-man attack for this evening's game as Givens shifts his tactical approach in anticipation of May's two under-21 European Championship games against Azerbaijan (away on the 11th, at home a week later) but there are changes in personnel too with Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce's son Alex making his debut alongside Paul McShane in central defence, while UCD goalkeeper Shane Quigley and Fulham midfielder Michael Timlin will also get to add to their rather limited experience at this level.

Ahead of tonight's game, though, all got the chance to take on the senior side yesterday in a game in Malahide (won 1-0 by the seniors thanks to a Damien Duff goal) that would appear to mark just one aspect of a policy of integration between two squads that had become increasingly remote from each other over the past few years.

Where practical, the two squads will once again share the same hotels on away trips and the early signs are Givens and senior manager Steve Staunton will liaise closely, in stark contrast to the situation that developed during Brian Kerr's time in charge of the senior squad.

"The fact Steve was out in Madeira certainly seems to bode well for the working relationship," says Givens, who Kerr had reportedly been anxious to replace when his last contract with the FAI expired. "He came to the first game as well as a training session where he was happy to get involved. He seems to have been delighted with what he saw while from our point of view - me and the players - what was good was just to see him there. From their point of view maybe part would be he's only just finished playing but he definitely made an impression."

As it happened Staunton missed the team's better performances during the tournament as he was obliged to leave for home after the opening draw with host team Madeira.

"Obviously you'd expect them to be the weakest team in the tournament so not beating them was a disappointment and we knew really that we hadn't played well. Stan then watched Portugal annihilate Finland with me and after that you wouldn't have been expecting things to go too well.

"But maybe we forgot the mental strength that we possess and over-estimated how good the Portuguese were because we were well worth the wins we got in the other two games and the performance against Portugal in the first half was as good as I've seen for quite a while."

Something similar against the Swedes tonight would be welcome.

Against Azerbaijan in May it will be essential if some sort of improvement in Ireland's lamentable European Championship record at this level is finally to be achieved.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND UNDER-21: Quigley (UCD); Foley (Luton Town), McShane (Brighton and Hove Albion), Bruce (Birmingham City), Painter (Birmingham City); Whelan (Sheffield Wednesday), Potter (Liverpool), Timlin (Fulham); Flood (Coventry City), Ward (Bohemians), Yeates (Colchester United).