Republic of Ireland U16 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazuna (Shamrock Rovers), Jimmy Corcoran (Cherry Orchard)

Defenders: Alex Dunne (Shamrock Rovers), Cian Kelly (Bray Wanderers), Timmy Sobowale (Villa FC), Conor Power (St Patrick's Athletic), Tega Agberhiere (Waterford), James Furlong (Bray Wanderers)

Midfielders: Brandon Holt (St Patrick's Athletic), Joe Hodge (Manchester City), Ronan McKinley (Derry City), Seamus Keogh (Sligo Rovers), Matt Healy (College Corinthians), Kian Leavy (St Patrick's Athletic)

Forwards: Festy Obsele (Bray Wanderers), Conor Carty (St Francis), Matt Everitt (Brighton & Hove Albion), Patrick Moore (St Kevin's Boys)

Romania U16 v Ireland U16 Live:  

The project, which is jointly run with the Welsh social enterprise Vi-Ability and funded by the European Regional Development Fund, will see Bohemian FC and Cork City develop social enterprise based Club in the Community schemes.

Both Bohemians and Cork were amongst 11 SSE Airtricity League clubs who presented proposals to partake in the scheme. The project will empower the clubs to recognise and utilise football and its value to connect with social programmes within the community. It is expected that the clubs will evolve as more valuable and relevant community entities as part of this project with dedicated resources assigned to both clubs.

FAI Project Manager Derek O'Neill said: "The FAI believes that engaging with the community in a more inclusive way can positively affect a football club's prospects of sustainability. Participating in innovative community partnerships can facilitate this.

"The FAI is delighted to have secured this EU funding, which will be used full to support the two clubs to develop their community remit."

FAI Director of Competitions Fran Gavin said: "The Consultation Process Report recognised that along with sporting and business interests, community engagement was another essential development pillar of successful and sustainable football clubs. The club's five-year strategic plans have shown a strong emphasis on community engagement.

"This community focus can serve to attract new club stakeholders with more people, businesses and agencies becoming advocates of the club and admirers of the programmes which they can deliver. The clubs can become more than just football teams and be more relevant to more people within their communities."

The project will start immediately and the FAI will make funding available to recruit two full-time Football Enterprise Cooridnators in each club for an 18-month period. The FAI will also provide guidance from the project management team on how to develop the Football Enterprise scheme and the social programmes.

Chris Brian of Bohemian FC said: "Bohemians FC are delighted to participate in the project and will benefit from having three employees, two full-time and one part-time, working exclusively in the community on behalf of the Bohemian Football Club. It will allow us to significantly expand the excellent community work we are already doing in our catchment area.

Shane O'Connor of Cork City said: "We're delighted to be included in the project to allow us to continue to improve on the good work in the community that FORAS and Cork City have been involved in over the past number of the years. We're very proud at how our trustees and volunteers continue to give their time and skills so selflessly and it's fantastic that those efforts are being recognised by the FAI and the European Regional Development Fund."

UEFA have confirmed the final competition rules and regulations for the UEFA Nations League, less than a year before the first match is played on 6 September 2018. The Republic of Ireland will be one of 55 nations taking part. 

This new national team competition aims to ensure the continued success of national team football by replacing most friendlies with competitive matches and by allowing all nations to play against equally ranked teams.

The format of the UEFA Nations League will feature promotion and relegation and see the 55 European national teams divided into four leagues in accordance with UEFA’s national association coefficient rankings on 11 October 2017. League A will include the top-ranked sides and League D will include the lowest.

Each league will be sub-divided into four groups of three or four teams, and teams will play each other home and away between September and November 2018, thus playing four to six matches within the dates already foreseen by the international match calendar.

The group winners will gain promotion and those who finish bottom will be relegated.

The four group winners of League A will qualify for the UEFA Nations League Finals, to be played in June 2019, with two semi-finals, a third-place match and the final. One host country will be appointed by the UEFA Executive Committee in December 2018 from among the finalist teams.

National teams will thus either be competing to become UEFA Nations League winners, or be fighting for promotion and to avoid relegation.

The League Phase Draw for the UEFA Nations League will take place at the SwissTech Convention Centre in Lausanne on 24 January 2018, when the new UEFA Nations League trophy will also be unveiled.

Qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020

Qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020 remains largely the same, although the European Qualifiers will now begin in the March following a major tournament instead of immediately in September. The teams will be split into ten groups of five or six, and the top two from each group will qualify for the final tournament, determining the first 20 places.

The last four EURO places will be won through the European Qualifiers play-offs, which will be contested by the 16 UEFA Nations League group winners.

If a group winner has already qualified via the European Qualifiers, then their spot will go to the next best-ranked team in their league.  If a league does not have four teams to compete, the remaining slots are allocated to teams from another league, according to the overall UEFA Nations League rankings. 

Each league will have a path of its own and each path will feature two single-leg semi-finals and one single-leg final.  The winner of each path will win a ticket to UEFA EURO 2020.

Colin Bell has selected a strong Republic of Ireland Women's Under 17 squad for their three UEFA European Championship Qualifying Round games.

Drawn into Group 4 alongside hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Greece, the Irish team have high hopes of making it all the way to the finals tournament in Lithuania next summer.

However, they must negotiate the first steps of qualifying when they come up against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday afternoon with three points on the line.

Speaking ahead of the group opener, Head Coach Colin Bell was in a determined mood. "We are looking forward to the challenge. We had the training camp that included games against the Czech Republic and there were plenty of positives to take from it.

"The Czech's were a very physical and aggressive side. That was an eye opener for the squad because it showed them that games at this level will not be easy. When we arrive in Bosnia we only have two training sessions before the first match so it is not a lot of time. We need to work on our game plan and make sure we minimise any mistakes."

Included in the squad is midfielder Tyler Toland, who became one of the youngest ever players to make her senior Ireland debut when the 16-year-old appeared as a substitute in last Tuesday's victory over Northern Ireland.

Several other players have made impressive step ups to the Continental Tyres Women's National League this season, while eight members of the squad travelled to Czech Republic last summer for the UEFA European Championships. 

Bell will hope to use the confidence in this squad to their advantage as they target a place in the Elite Round of qualifying and a step closer to the finals. 

"It is a bonus that eight of the squad were involved in the Finals tournament last year so they know what it takes to qualify. However, it also means that more than half the squad were not there last year so they will need to adapt to the new level quickly. We are ready for the challenge," Bell added.

Republic of Ireland Squad
Goalkeepers: Rachel Kelly (Shelbourne Ladies), Courtney Maguire (Cabinteely)
Defenders: Leah Brady (Lucan United), Eabha O'Mahony (Lakewood), Roisin McGovern (UCD Waves), Doireann Fahey (Peamount United), Rachel O'Regan (Carrigaline), Harriet Lambe (Yeovil Town)
Midfielders: Tyler Toland (Maiden City), Megan Mackey (Chelsea Ladies), Ciara Fowler (Home Farm), Jessica Ziu, Isibeal Atkinson (Shelbourne Ladies), Aoife Slattery (Ferrybank), Amy Boyle Carr (Sion Swifts)
Forwards: Alannah McEvoy, Emily Whelan (Shelbourne Ladies), Andrea Trill (Cregmore Galway), Zara Foley (Lakewood), Louise Masterson (Peamount United)

Fixtures
Sunday, September 24: Republic of Ireland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, BH Football Centre, KO 15:00
Wednesday, September 27: Republic of Ireland v Romania, BH Football Centre, KO 10:00
Saturday, September 30: Greece v Republic of Ireland, Miadost Stadium, KO 15:00

The Republic of Ireland U16 side went down to a hard fought 2-1 defeat to Romania in Buftea this afternoon.

Paul Osam's side put up a competitive display and led at half-time through a first half Conor Carty goal but the hosts got back in the tie after the break to claim the spoils.

Romania came close to breaking the deadlock in the 13th minute when striker Theodor Corbeanu fired in a powerful shot from the edge of the box but Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Gavin Bazuna made a top class save.

After a period of consolidation, Ireland took the lead in the 32nd minute with a brilliant goal. Captain Seamus Keogh linked up with Kian Leavy then smashed the ball against the home crossbar and Carty headed home from close range before home keeper Robert Popa could react.

However, Romania levelled matters in the 49th minute when Corbeanu headed home at the back post after a Ianis Stoica corner kick was not fully cleared by the Irish defence and the same player found the striker at the back post from the loose ball.

The home side went ahead in the 57th minute when the impressive Corbeanu pounced on a poor clearance then carved out the space for himself in the Irish penalty area to slot into the bottom corner for a fine finish.

Ireland were unfortunate not to level in the 63rd minute when Conor Power got his head to a left wing free-kick by Brandon Holt but his effort was too high to trouble the keeper.

Despite their best efforts the Irish could not force a leveller. The game had been preceded by an unusual situation when the Irish preparations were impacted as the squad had to change hotels overnight due to weather damage affecting their hotel.

"I though we were good in the first half and the work we'd done showed an improvement on the first game," said Osam. 

"Our build up play was good at times and defensively we were good before the break but it was similar to the other day in that we ran out of steam in the second half of the game. Players were reporting that they were fatigued. The conditioning of players is obviously an issue. It's not an excuse but it is a pattern we've identified.

"Overall we've learned a lot about the players in these games and they've learned about us. The players now realise how fast international football is and how they have to match that level.

"Results wise it has not been great but individually there's lots of good things we can take from this. Our goal was very pleasing as we'd worked on getting our full-backs higher up the field and it was very good to get the goal after working on that in training."

Osam said that the issue with their accommodation was not overly disruptive as both sides had to change and is now looking forward to next Wednesday's meeting with Brazil U15s at the AUL Complex.

"There was a problem with the accommodation centre at the national training ground. A lot of rain fell very quickly and a pipe got blocked and there was a very bad leak. The roof collapsed with the amount of water coming through," he explained. 

"The Romanian people were very helpful and got both sides got out to a different hotel. It was all done very quickly. We stayed in a nice hotel in Bucharest and it was the same for both teams so there was no issue.

"The Brazil game next week has come up on us very quickly and we were delighted to accept that fixture. Because of the logistics and the lateness of the game being confirmed, we're going to just work with the same squad for that and I'm sure there's improvement in them. They'll have a learned a lot from these two games."

Romania: Popa, Androne, Dicu, Drăgușin, Dumitrașcu (Florică 41), Crivac, Borcea (Pănoiu 57), Stoica (Florescu 75), Bani, Stefanovici (Țenea 41), Corbeanu (Sima 71).

Republic of Ireland: Bazuna, Keogh, Power, Kelly, Furlong, McKinley, Ebosele, Leavy (Moore 67), Healy (Dunne 78), Carty, Holt.

There was heartbreak in additional time for Ireland in Argentina as they went down 3-2 to the USA in the 5th/6th play-off. This young Irish side went into the game knowing whatever the result they would finish the highest any Irish Cerebral Palsy squad has done in past World Championships. 

They faced a formidable American side full of strength, power and confidence after beating Brazil in the previous round. The game started tentatively with both sides conservative in their approach but the game exploded to life in the 7thminute when America’s Cameron DeLillo opened the scoring with a sweet chip over Irish keeper Jimmy Naughton.

The Irish immediately responded with Gary Messett and Dillon Sheridan testing the American keeper in quick succession and controlled the game for the rest of the half. Their reward came in the 22nd minute when captain Gary Messett broke down the right side taking on two players and coming in at a tight angle to shoot into the top corner giving Ireland the equaliser. The teams went in 1-1 at half-time with the game on a knife edge.

Head Coach Paul Breen made one change at half time bringing on Carl McKee to replace Peter Cotter and pushing Mark Barry into left side of midfield. Ireland began the second half positively and immediately put pressure on the Americans resulting in Ireland and tournament top scorer Dillon Sheridan winning the ball and transitioning into an Irish attack beating 3 players and slotting home with a low left foot drive to give Ireland the lead.

The game slipped into four minutes of injury time with Ireland's fingers on that 5th place finish, but unfortunately it was not to be as America scored in the 61st and 63rd minute to give them the victory. This Irish team were not only the youngest team in the tournament but are also the youngest Irish Cerebral Palsy squad to compete at any major championships and they can keep their heads high knowing they have done their country, management team and family and friends proud over the past three weeks. With the teams average age 21 the future is very bright and the FAI will continue to recruit young exciting players with Cerebral Palsy to ensure this team continues to develop the European Championships in Holland next July.

Irish Head Coach Paul Breen summed up the teams achievement in his post-match comments. “We are very disappointed to lose the game in the manner that we did and there is a lot of learning for the players from this game. We just ran out of steam in the end with 6 games in 11 days and we lost our rest day in middle of the tournament due to our first game being called off, which other teams benefited from. The players can still hold their heads high after this tournament, learn from it and continue to develop. Although I am disappointed with the result I am immensely proud of this group of players and how they have performed in the tournament overall and I know they have done their country, family, friends and clubs proud. I am confident we will continue to improve.”

The inaugural event was attended by delegates who represent clubs and leagues in schoolgirls and women's football, as well as stakeholders from across the game.

The convention was established for the first time following the full integration of women's football into the structures of the FAI, with the establishment of the FAI Women's Football Committee and the Women's Regional Football Committees. Previously the female game was run under the auspices of the Women's Football Association of Ireland.

Amongst the keynote speakers at the convention were Noel Mooney from UEFA, who delivered a strong presentation on UEFA’s marketing campaign for Women’s Football - Together #WePlayStrong.  

The campaign, which was launched in June, focuses on driving participation levels and reducing drop-out rates through six key pillars:

- Strong local participation
- Changing the image of women's football
- Using new types of content to engage females
- Using new media channels 
- Working with sponsor partners to expand the programme's reach
- Supporting each National Association through extensive toolkits

The English FA's National Women’s Football Participation Manager Rachel Pavlou shared her experiences of her country’s successful growth and retention of female players.

FAI CEO John Delaney, who is the deputy chairman on UEFA's Women's Football Committee, addressed the delegates outlining the support of the Association for the growth and ongoing development of the women's game, and the commitment of the FAI has to providing female players in Ireland with the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Delegates were informed about the development of the women's game since the full integration of women's football into the structures of the FAI, which has seen the establishment of the FAI Women's Football Committee and eight Regional Football Committees, made up of stakeholders from all strands of the game.

FAI Head of Women’s of Football Sue Ronan revealed her department's ambitions for the female game and delegates approved the appointment of 20 members to the Women's Football Appeals Committee pool.

FAI Board Member Niamh O'Donoghue said: "We're delighted to bring together representatives of women's and schoolgirls football in Ireland to the first FAI Women's Football Convention.

"It has been very helpful to have Noel Mooney from UEFA and Rachel Pavlou from the FA share their experiences. We are also delighted that FAI CEO John Delaney opened the Convention, the integration of women's football into the mainstream structures of the FAI was led by him."

Chelsea midfielder Megan Mackey headed home a late goal with just three minutes remaining to give Ireland all three points in their opening game and send them top of the group.

It was a tight contest at the BH Football Centre as Shelbourne Ladies goalkeeper Rachael Kelly did well to deny Bosnia's Đula Velagić early on before Mackey fired narrowly wide in the 20th minute.

Andrea Trill came on half-way through the second-half as Ireland continued to improve throughout the contest and Alannah McEvoy fired narrowly wide with seven minutes remaining.

Ireland continued to push forward and scored the winner with three minutes remaining as Isibeal Atkinson crossed for the onrushing Mackey who was able to head home and seal an all-important victory.

WU17 & WNT Head Coach Colin Bell said: "I thought we were nervous at the start and we weren't able to play our best football, but despite that, they kept working hard and made sure they stayed in the game.

"We improved in the second-half and then started to sense like we could go and get all three points. The substitutes did really well when they came on, Andrea Trill started to make things happen up front and we pushed on.

"It was a great cross and Megan was there to head it home. It's great to start with a win as we've got two other big games coming up and this should give the team plenty of confidence going into those games.

"We've got a few things we need to work on in training and keep improving. The players showed great character to get the result and we'll need that in the next two games if we're going to finish top of the group."

Team

Republic of Ireland: Kelly (GK), O'Mahony, Fahey, Mackey (C), McEvoy, Atkinson (Whelan 78), Toland, Boyle-Carr (McGovern 80), Slattery, Foley, Masterson (Trill 58).

Subs not used: Maguire (GK), Lambe, Ziu, Fowler, O'Regan, Brady.

First up Martin O’Neill’s side face Moldova at the Aviva Stadium on October 6 followed by a trip to Cardiff City Stadium on Monday October 9.

Tickets for the home game against Moldova are available HERE.

Ahead of the games, Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill sat down with FAI TV to look ahead to a vital week for Irish football as the road to Russia continues. 

Watch the interview in full below: 

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill unveiled the provisional squad that he has chosen for the final two Group D games as part of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At a press conference in Aviva's Dublin headquarters, O'Neill announced a 32-man provisional roster for the games at home to Moldova in Aviva Stadium on Friday, October 6 and away to Wales in Cardiff on Monday, October 9.

Included in the squad for the first time are Aston Villa's Scott Hogan, who qualifies through his Carlow-born grandmother and Wexford-born grandfather, and Millwall's Aiden O'Brien, who is a former underage international.

Midfielder Jeff Hendrick and forward David McGoldrick both return after missing the games against Georgia and Serbia. However, injury rules out Greg Cunningham (knee) and Jonathan Walters (knee).

While both Robbie Brady and James McClean are suspended for the Moldova game, they are expected to link up with the squad when the players report into camp on Monday, October 2.

Tickets for the clash with Moldova at Aviva Stadium on Friday, October 6 are still available via Ticketmaster.ie 

Republic of Ireland MNT Provisional Squad

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United), Colin Doyle (Bradford City)
Defenders: Cyrus Christie (Middlesbrough), Richard Keogh (Derby County), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Kevin Long, Stephen Ward (Burnley)
Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Sunderland), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Glenn Whelan, Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady (Burnley), James McCarthy (Everton), David Meyler (Hull City), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Jonathan Hayes (Celtic), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Preston North End)
Forwards: Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Nottingham Forest), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Scott Hogan (Aston Villa), Aiden O'Brien (Millwall) 

Colin Bell’s side followed up their opening day win over the host country Bosnia & Herzegovina thanks to penalties converted in either half.

Tyler Toland scored from the penalty spot in first half injury time after Emily Whelan was fouled in the penalty area by Krisztina Beno.

Four minutes from time Isibeal Atkinson fired home from the penalty spot after Cristina Tudorache was blown for a foul on Megan Mackey. 

The Irish had 21 attempts on goal to seven by the Romanians so the scoreline was a reflection of their dominance on the day.

The Bosnians meet Greece later today but regardless of their result the Irish can not be denied a top two spot which ensures a place in the Elite Round with 28 teams battling it out to qualify amongst the eight finalists at the final tournament in Lithuania next summer. 

“It was a well deserved victory. The score-line really could have been much higher,” said Bell, whose side will seek to finish Group 4 with a 100 per cent winning record when they meet Greece in Kakanj on Saturday. 

“I felt we played fantastic some football especially in the first half and we created a lot of chances throughout the game.

“We played some good build-up play through the thirds and mixed it up a bit too when we needed to. We had quite a few chances but it didn’t break for us. Both penalties were deserved. 

“The second half was a similar performance. We had to counter some of their long balls and free-kicks. We needed the second goal to kill them off. 

“After the second one came along it got a bit scrappy and they tried to provoke us a bit, looking for free-kicks and so on but it was a very strong performance and we played some really good football for this age group.

“The goal here was to qualify and that’s been achieved. We knew coming into the tournament that we needed results first and would then focus on performances but we got both today which is very pleasing.” 

Republic of Ireland: Rachael Kelly, Eabha O'Mahony, Doireann Fahey, Megan Mackey, Emily Whelan, Isibeal Atkinson (Rachel O'Regan 85), Tyler Toland, Amy Boyle Carr, Andrea Trill (Roisin McGovern 79), Aoife Slattery, Zara Foley.

Romania: Katia Ghioc, Georgiana Gologan, Alexandra Tunoaia, Cristina Tudorache, Madalina Marinescu, Genoveva Roșie, Ana Maria Vlădulescu, Otilia Durla (Mihaela Purcil 41 (Andra Olaru 67)), Carmen Marcu, Krisztina Beno, Florentina Ionescu (Flaviana Negrea 86).

The Irish broadcaster will provide full coverage as Noel King's side, who are currently top of Group 5, take on Norway on Thursday, October 5 and then Israel on Monday, October 9.

Coverage for the Norway game, which kicks off at 19:45, will start at 19:15, while the build-up to the Israel game will begin at 15:25 ahead of the 15:30 kick-off.

In what a big boost for the promotion of Irish international football, eir Sport have also agreed to broadcast the away games between the same teams as Ireland travel to Norway on November 14 and visit Israel in October 2018.

As part of a special offer, IT Tallaght students and Shamrock Rovers season ticket holders will be permitted free entry to these games along with FAI Season Ticket holders.

The same offer has been extended to Waterford IT students and Waterford FC season ticket holders for the Ireland Under 19 UEFA European Championship qualifiers in the RSC.

Tom Mohan's team face off against Azerbaijan on Wednesday, October 4, against Cyprus on Saturday, October 7, and against Serbia on Tuesday, October 10.

UEFA U21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS
Thursday, October 5: Republic of Ireland v Norway, Tallaght Stadium, KO 19:45, LIVE on eir Sport
Monday, October 9: Republic of Ireland v Israel, Tallaght Stadium, KO 15:30, LIVE on eir Sport

UEFA U19 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS
Wednesday, October 4: Republic of Ireland v Azerbaijan, RSC, KO 15:00
Saturday, October 7: Republic of Ireland v Cyprus, RSC, KO 19:00
Tuesday, October 10: Republic of Ireland v Serbia, RSC, KO 13:00

Although billed as Brazil’s U15s, the opposition players were all born in 2002 so would be considered U16s in a UEFA context.

While the quality of the South American side’s play was impressive, the Irish defended resolutely and took the lead with a thumping header from Conor Power in the 36th minute from a Paddy Moore free-kick on the right.

Brazil might have grabbed the opener after just 45 seconds when goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran made a brilliant save to deny Fluminese attacker Kaka from point blank range.

Corcoran denied the same player in the 31st minute when Kaka’s low shot from an angled drive seemed destined for the bottom corner.

Power’s opener gave Ireland hope of a surprise victory but Kaka ended up grabbing the equaliser in the 40th minute with another low strike from a tight angle.

The second half saw more Brazilian pressure on the Irish defence but unfortunately for the home side they eventually conceded in the 69th minute when Joao Peglow found the net with a crisp low strike that went in off the base of the Irish left upright.

Three minutes later substitute Ivonei from Santos produced another dangerous low shot from distance that cracked off the same Irish upright but this time skidded clear.

Ireland had a fantastic chance to level the game in the 81st minute when a left wing cross by James Furlong founded Ronan McKinley and his low strike beat keeper Cristian but defender Gabriel Noga slid in and got a foot to the ball. Footage of the incident afterwards suggested the ball may have crossed the line but it was not 100 percent conclusive.

Conor Carty had a chance from the resulting free-kick by Matt Everitt but his header was too high to test the keeper.

“We got this game at short notice but we’re delighted that we did as it will really help the players in their overall preparations towards the UEFA U17 Championships which we’re hosting in 2019,” said Ireland U15s Head Coach Jason Donohue, who was taking charge of the Irish as Paul Osam is on his UEFA Pro Licence.

“We tried to get what information we could on Brazil but it was difficult. We opted to play a defensive shape to build our way into the game and we were very pleased with the structure that we had and it worked a treat with Conor Power putting us in front.

“Unfortunately we conceded just before half-time which allowed them get back in it and after they scored in the second half we had to open up a little and were unlucky not to equalise late on.

“There were lots of good individual displays from the likes of Conor Power, Brandon Holt and James Furlong but it was a very good disciplined team performance and with the work they’re doing with Paul Osam with the U16s you can see the progression there.”

Donohue will return to U15s duty next month when he has a training camp with the players at that age group which will feature a fixture against Manchester City’s academy then two friendly internationals against Poland in November.

Republic of Ireland: Jimmy Corcoran (Gavin Bazuna 41), Seamas Keogh, Oghenetega Agberhiere (James Furlong 41), Cian Kelly, Conor Power (Matthew Healy 59), Brandon Holt, Joe Hodge, Kian Leavy (Ronan McKinley 41), Festy Ebosele (Timi Sobowale 59), Matt Everitt, Paddy Moore (Conor Carty 41).

Brazil: Cristian, Cadu (Kaio Jorge 54), Gabriel Noga, Renan, Fabinho, Eduardo (Yan 54), Gabriel Veron (Pedro Arthur 64), Talles (Ivonei 59), Joao Peglow (Henri 78), Reiner (Giovanni Ribeiro 73), Kaka.

UEFA selected Ireland as the venue for this event, to be held in the Convention Centre Dublin, following an invitation to bid issued to the host cities of this unique European Championships.

The 2020 Championships mark the 60th anniversary of UEFA's prestigious competition and games are being hosted in 13 cities across the continent on a once-off basis. Dublin is set to host four games in the Aviva Stadium, which is expected to bring an economic benefit of between €40-€50million to the country.

The live televised draw will take place on December 2, 2018 and will see media attendees representing UEFA's 55 National Associations arrive in Dublin for the event.

• 650 guests, including almost 300 delegates from the participating countries, are expected
• 350 media representatives will be accredited to cover the event
• 70+ broadcasters will show the draw live to an audience of 140m around the world

The submission to secure the event was led by the UEFA EURO (Dublin) Local Organising Committee, consisting of representatives from the Football Association of Ireland and Dublin City Council, in partnership with the Government through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and strong support from the Dublin Convention Bureau.

The venue which won the day with UEFA is the iconic Convention Centre, which is fully equipped to deliver UEFA's detailed list of requirements.

Welcoming the news, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ardmheara Michael McDonncha, said: "On behalf of the citizens of Dublin, I'm delighted by UEFA's decision to hold the draw for EURO 2020 in our great city."

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, said: "I am very pleased to hear of the success of the bid to host the EURO 2020 qualifying draw in Dublin. The hosting of such prestigious televised sporting events is a fantastic opportunity to boost the profile of Dublin and Ireland, and to highlight our facilities for international conferences and events."

FAI CEO, John Delaney, said: "I am delighted that Dublin has been selected to host the UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying draw. Along with Dublin being one of the host cities for the tournament, the hosting of the draw in our capital city demonstrates the high regard in which Ireland is held as a tournament host.

"I would like to thank our bid team for their tremendous work in securing this prestigious event, and recognise the partnership and collaborative efforts of all parties working together through the FAI, Dublin City Council and Government, through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, as well as the Dublin Convention Bureau.

"The live televised event will be broadcast throughout the world and puts Irish football, as well as Ireland as a nation, at the forefront of international sport."

Chief Executive of Dublin City Council, Owen Keegan, said: "The 60th anniversary of the EUROs will be a wonderful sporting occasion eagerly anticipated by all supporters.

"Dublin City Council is particularly proud to have played its part in securing Dublin as a host city for the matches and the EURO 2020 qualifying draw."

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, said: "I want to extend my congratulations to the team who worked with UEFA to secure Dublin as a host for this important occasion in the European footballing calendar.

"We are very much looking forward to extending a warm welcome to all the international delegates who will be attending in December 2018."

Convention Centre Dublin CEO, Stephen Meehan, said: "We are excited to confirm such a prestigious sporting event and congratulate all teams involved in the bid submission. The CCD is an iconic building in the heart of Dublin city and we are looking forward to welcoming representatives from the 55 National Associations to our venue."

Among the Dublin LOC team's strongest assets were the technical capability of the CCD for TV and staging, the quality and expertise of the venue, the cost competitiveness of the package and the level of detail in the Dublin submission document.

The draw for the qualifying games is unique, given that the tournament will be a pan-European competition for the first time ever with 13 host cities staging games and it is expected that up to 200,000 people will visit from overseas for the games alone.

Figures for UEFA EURO 2016 reveal the scale of the tournament:

• 130 broadcast partners / 230 territories broadcasting matches
• 6 billion cumulative live audience
• 130 million live average audience per match
• 200 million live audience for opening match
• 300 million live audience for the final

The 13 host cities for EURO 2020 include:
Munich (Germany) - three group matches and a quarter-final
Baku (Azerbaijan) - three group matches and a quarter-final
Rome (Italy) - three group matches and a quarter-final
St Petersburg (Russia) - three group matches and a quarter-final
Brussels (Belgium) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Copenhagen (Denmark) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Budapest (Hungary) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Amsterdam (Netherlands) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Dublin (Republic of Ireland) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Bucharest (Romania) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Glasgow (Scotland) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
Bilbao (Spain) - three group matches and a round of 16 match
London (England) - two semi-finals and final

The Irish will meet Azerbaijan on Wednesday, October 4 (3.00pm) at the RSC then meet Greece in the same venue on Saturday, October 7 (7.00pm) before the RSC hosts the meeting of the Irish and Serbia on Tuesday, October 10 (1.00pm).

With Cappoquin native Jayson Molumby, Waterford's Lee O'Connor, New Ross's Thomas O'Connor and Kilkenny's John Martin in his squad, Mohan's charges should feel right at home next week.

"Anytime we play in Waterford we're well supported so with so many local lads playing we'll be hoping the public comes out to support the lads," he said.

The top two from each group progresses to the Elite Round, played in the spring, in seven mini-tournament groups of four. The group winners then join the hosts in the finals. Finland will host the final tournament from July 16 to 29 next summer.

Mohan will not be looking too far down the line as he recognises that this is a tough Qualifying Round grouping and the primary goal is to make the Elite Round.

"There'll be three tough games but really our only focus is on Azerbaijan as they're our first challenge. We've looked at a lot of their games and their squad is technically good and they have quick players. They've beaten Scotland and drew with Belgium in the past while so it'll be very competitive," he said.

"You're main focus is qualifying but you just can't look beyond first game.

"This is a good group of players and these lads were together for two games against the Czech Republic recently and did very well but we know there is still room for improvement.

"A lot of the players are around first team level with their clubs so their individual confidence is high. We're also pleased that we have six home-based players plus six players that could still play U18 level this season so there's a good mix in the squad."

Republic of Ireland U19 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Mark Travers (Bournemouth - On Loan at Weymouth), Brian Maher (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Defenders: Tyreke Wilson (Manchester City), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion - On loan at Hereford Utd), Canice Carroll (Oxford Utd), Warren O’Hora (Bohemians), Lee O’Connor (Manchester Utd), Jordan Doherty (Sheffield Utd)

Midfielders: Daniel McKenna (Wolves), Rian O’Sullivan (Brighton - On loan at Worthing), Jayson Molumby (Brighton), Aaron Bolger (Shamrock Rovers), Thomas O’Connor (Southampton), Kian Flanagan (Crystal Palace), Anthony Scully (West Ham Utd)

Forwards: Michael Obafemi (Southampton), John Martin (Waterford FC), Thomas Byrne (Drogheda Utd), Jonathan Afolabi (Southampton), Neil Farrugia (UCD)

Fixtures

UEFA Under-19 Championship 2018 Qualifying Round Group 7

Wednesday, October 4

Azerbaijan vs Republic of Ireland, RSC (15:00)

Saturday, October 7

Republic of Ireland vs Cyprus, RSC (19:00)

Tuesday, October 10

Republic of Ireland vs Serbia, RSC (13:00)

Former graduates of the Cork FAI/ETB Soccer Academy will clash at Turners Cross with a place in the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup Final.

Garry Buckley from Cork City and Stephen Kenny from Limerick will lock horns in what is set to be a terrific Munster derby.

Both players are a success story of the FAI's involvement in local LTI intitives. Buckley has been a consistent performer in the league leaders' midfield and was a trainee in the 2012-13 programme. 

Two years previously, Stephen Kenny, who was brought up in Passage West on the outskirts of Cork City, also had a season of full time training that set him up for a career in the professional game when he completed the programme in 2010-11. 

Cork City have home advantage as they try for a third successive Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup Final and a little revenge after last week's 2-1 defeat at the hands of their Munster rivals at the Markets Field. 

More information on the FAI / ETB courses is available HERE 

The Wexford native explained in a statement that his decision came on the back of concussion-related symptoms suffered this season with Colorado Rapids in MLS.

The 34-year-old had been named in the Ireland squad for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Round games against Moldova and Wales, but he will now end his international career on 63 senior caps and 14 goals.

FAI CEO John Delaney described Doyle as a 'great servant' for the Ireland team and acknowledged his years of service to Irish football, which saw him line out for St Patrick's Athletic and Cork City before moving to England and then the United States.

"I am very saddened to hear of Kevin's decision to retire from football and I would like to pay tribute to one of the most hard-working and dedicated players to have represented the Republic of Ireland," said Delaney.

"Kevin is one of the great Irish goalscorers of all time, who gave everything for his country. You could see that he appreciated every minute that he had on the pitch in a green jersey.

"He made his mark in the League of Ireland and quickly transferred those talents to the international stage. Kevin was a great servant for his country and I wish him and his family the very best for the future.

"We would like to pay tribute to Kevin at the Aviva Stadium for his immense contribution to Irish football, at a time that is appropriate for him."

Ireland manager Martin O'Neill heaped praise on Doyle for his professional attitude on and off the pitch, saying: "I am disappointed to hear that Kevin has had to retire from football.

"Kevin was extremely popular with all of the players in the Irish camp and he was an excellent professional, who has served his clubs and country very well during his career." 

A former underage international, Doyle made his senior debut against Sweden in 2006 and had the honour of leading his country out as captain in the 1-0 friendly win over South Africa in Thomond Park in September 2009.

The former Reading, Wolverhampton Wanderers, QPR and Crystal Palace frontman was part of the squad that won the Carling Nations Cup in 2011 and featured in two games at UEFA EURO 2012.

Doyle's final appearance in a green jersey was the narrow defeat to Iceland last March in Aviva Stadium. He is joint 21st in the all-time appearance charts and joint sixth in the all-time goalscoring charts.

Kevin Doyle International Career
Caps: 63
Goals: 14
Starts: 54
Substitution Appearances: 9
Minutes Played: 4,154
Debut: v Sweden, Lansdowne Road, March 1, 2006
First Goal: v San Marino, Lansdowne Road, November 15, 2006
Awards: Senior International Player (2008, 2010), Young International Player (2006), Under 21 International Player (2005), International Goal of the Year (2007, 2010, 2012)

List of Games Played
01/03/2006: Ireland 3-0 Sweden, Lansdowne Road
24/05/2006: Ireland 0-1 Chile, Lansdowne Road
16/08/2006: Ireland 0-4 Netherlands, Lansdowne Road
02/09/2006: Germany 1-0 Ireland, Stuttgart
15/11/2006: Ireland 5-0 San Marino, Lansdowne Road
24/03/2007: Ireland 1-0 Wales, Croke Park
28/03/2007: Ireland 1-0 Slovakia, Croke Park
23/05/2007: Ireland 1-1 Ecuador, New Jersey
26/05/2007: Ireland 1-1 Bolivia, Boston
22/08/2007: Denmark 0-4 Ireland, Aarhus
08/09/2007: Slovakia 2-2 Ireland, Bratislava
12/09/2007: Czech Republic 1-0 Ireland, Prague
13/10/2007: Ireland 0-0 Germany, Croke Park
17/10/2007: Ireland 1-1 Cyprus, Croke Park
17/11/2007: Wales 2-2 Ireland, Cardiff
06/02/2008: Ireland 0-1 Brazil, Croke Park
24/05/2008: Ireland 1-1 Serbia, Croke Park
29/05/2008: Ireland 1-0 Colombia, Craven Cottage
20/08/2008: Norway 1-1 Ireland, Oslo
06/09/2008: Georgia 1-2 Ireland, Mainz
10/09/2008: Montenegro 0-0 Ireland, Podgorica
15/10/2008: Ireland 1-0 Cyprus, Croke Park
19/11/2008: Ireland 2-3 Poland, Croke Park
11/02/2009: Ireland 2-1 Georgia, Croke Park
28/03/2009: Ireland 1-1 Bulgaria, Croke Park
01/04/2009: Italy 1-1 Ireland, Bari
12/08/2009: Ireland 0-3 Australia, Thomond Park
05/09/2009: Cyprus 1-2 Ireland, Nicosia
08/09/2009: Ireland 1-0 South Africa, Thomond Park
10/10/2009: Ireland 2-2 Italy, Croke Park
14/11/2009: Ireland 0-1 France, Croke Park
18/11/2009: France 1-1 Ireland, Paris
02/03/2010: Brazil 2-0 Ireland, Emirates Stadium
25/05/2010: Ireland 2-1 Paraguay, RDS
28/05/2010: Ireland 3-0 Algeria, RDS
03/09/2010: Armenia 0-1 Ireland, Yerevan
07/09/2010: Ireland 3-1 Andorra, Aviva Stadium
08/10/2010: Ireland 2-3 Russia, Aviva Stadium
17/11/2010: Ireland 1-2 Norway, Aviva Stadium
08/02/2011: Ireland 3-0 Wales, Aviva Stadium
04/06/2011: FYR Macedonia 0-2 Ireland, Skopje
02/09/2011: Ireland 0-0 Slovakia, Aviva Stadium
06/09/2011: Russia 0-0 Ireland, Moscow
07/10/2011: Andorra 0-2 Ireland, Andorra la Velle
11/10/2011: Ireland 2-1 Armenia, Aviva Stadium
15/11/2011: Ireland 1-1 Estonia, Aviva Stadium
26/05/2012: Ireland 1-0 Bosnia & Herzegovina, Aviva Stadium
04/06/2012: Hungary 0-0 Ireland, Budapest
10/06/2012: Croatia 3-1 Ireland, Poland
18/06/2012: Italy 2-0 Ireland, Poland
07/09/2012: Kazakhstan 1-2 Ireland, Astana
11/09/2012: Ireland 4-1 Oman, Craven Cottage
14/11/2012: Ireland 0-1 Greece, Aviva Stadium
11/10/2013: Germany 3-0 Ireland, Cologne
15/10/2013: Ireland 3-1 Kazakhstan, Aviva Stadium
15/11/2013: Ireland 3-0 Latvia, Aviva Stadium
19/11/2013: Poland 0-0 Ireland, Poznan
07/06/2014: Costa Rica 1-1 Ireland, Philadelphia
10/06/2014: Portugal 5-1 Ireland, New Jersey
03/09/2014: Ireland 2-0 Oman, Aviva Stadium
11/10/2014: Ireland 7-0 Gibraltar, Aviva Stadium
25/03/2016: Ireland 1-0 Switzerland, Aviva Stadium
28/03/2017: Ireland 0-1 Iceland, Aviva Stadium 

List of Goals Scored
15/11/2006: Ireland 5-0 San Marino, Lansdowne Road
28/03/2007: Ireland 1-0 Slovakia, Croke Park
23/05/2007: Ireland 1-1 Ecuador, New Jersey
08/09/2007: Slovakia 2-2 Ireland, Bratislava
17/11/2008: Wales 2-2 Ireland, Cardiff
06/09/2008: Georgia 1-2 Ireland, Mainz
05/09/2009: Cyprus 1-2 Ireland, Nicosia
25/05/2010: Ireland 2-1 Paraguay, RDS
07/09/2010: Ireland 3-1 Andorra, Aviva Stadium
07/10/2011: Andorra 0-2 Ireland, Andorra la Velle
07/09/2012: Kazakhstan 1-2 Ireland, Astana
11/09/2012: Ireland 4-1 Oman, Craven Cottage
07/06/2014: Costa Rica 1-1 Ireland, Philadelphia
03/09/2014: Ireland 2-0 Oman, Aviva Stadium

Ireland are currently top of Group Five after claiming maximum points from their first two matches with a 1-0 win over Kosovo and a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan.

Noel King's side face Norway on Thursday, October 5th with kick-off at 7.45pm followed by Israel on Monday, October 9th with kick-off at 3.30pm; both games at Tallaght Stadium, Dublin.

King has stuck with the same squad from the win over Azerbaijan but has been able to add a number of players to the squad, Aston Villa's Jake Doyle Hayes and Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Dessie Hutchinson.

There are also call-ups for SSE Airtricity League duo Trevor Clarke and Rory Hale, from Shamrock Rovers and Galway United respectively, whilst QPR winger Olamide Shodipo and Chesterfield midfielder Connor Dimaio return from injury. 

Republic of Ireland U21 manager Noel King said: "We're really looking forward to next week. We go into the games top of the group and the squad have shown real promise in our first two matches.

"The challenge now is to keep those standards high and keep improving through what will be two difficult games. Both Norway and Israel have qualified for the European Championships in recent years so we need to be at our very best to get the positive results we require.

"As is the norm, we must now wait by the phone until the weekend is over and keep our fingers crossed everyone comes through from their games unscathed. I know the players are looking forward to the challenge ahead of them and hopefully with a good crowd at Tallaght Stadium as we look to get three wins in a row."

Republic of Ireland U21 squad to face Norway and Israel

Goalkeepers: Kieran O'Hara (Manchester United), Liam Bossin (Nottingham Forest).

Defenders: Danny Kane (Huddersfield), Ryan Sweeney (Stoke City, on loan at Bristol Rovers), Shaun Donnellan (West Bromwich Albion, on loan at Walsall), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Corey Whelan (Liverpool), Ryan Delaney (Burton Albion, on loan at Cork City), Trevor Clarke (Shamrock Rovers)

Midfielders: Josh Cullen (West Ham, on loan at Bolton Wanderers), Harry Charsley (Everton), Conor Shaughnessy (Leeds United), Liam Kinsella (Walsall), Jake Mulraney (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Connor Ronan (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Olamide Shodipo (QPR), Connor Dimaio (Chesterfield), Rory Hale (Galway United), Jake Doyle Hayes (Aston Villa), Dessie Hutchinson (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Attackers: Reece Grego Cox (QPR), Ryan Manning (QPR), Ronan Curtis (Derry City), Joe Quigley (Bournemouth, on loan at Newport County).

Tickets for the two games will be available on the day of the game priced at €10 for adults and €5 for children/students/OAPs. Entry is free for FAI season ticket holders, Shamrock Rovers season ticket holders and IT Tallaght students.

IRISH DEFENCE FORCES WOMEN 2 (Amy Phelan 15, Sinead Taylor 65) RAF WOMEN  0

Midfielder Amy Phelan had the home side in front after 15 minutes with a stunning strike from just inside the RAF half after she spotted goalkeeper Nicola Symons had moved off her goal line. Phelan quickly sized the opportunity to launch a high ball over the stranded Symons that dipped neatly just under the crossbar for a memorable opening score.

Sinead Taylor might have doubled the score after she got through the RAF defence but a last ditch tackle form Rachel Rutherford kept her out.

The visitors although a goal down were well in the games and spurred on by Rachel Griffiths and skipper Catherine Beaver, two powerhouses in the midfield, they threatened to get back on terms a couple of times before the break.

Ashlyn Mester went close after combining with Zara McIntosh and later McIntosh saw her dangerous cross from the back line cleared to safety by the impressive centre back Siobhan O’Sullivan with Keri Haywood ready to get a strike on goal.

Early second half pressure from the Irish looked like yielding another goal and Symons did well to keep out a rasping drive from Taylor after great work from Grainne Kenneally set up the chance.
 
Taylor was eventually rewarded with a well deserved goal on 65 minutes when she ran on to a superb through ball from Phelan, got past a lunging tackle from Rutherford and beat Symons with a clinical finish to seal the win.

The Irish went close to a third goal towards the finish after a fine run by Shelley Keogh ended with a the RAF ‘keeper doing well to hold the Irish girl's strike.

A satisfying win for Defence Forces manager Darren Cody and coachs Alan Corboy and Lorainne Walsh who did well to prepare this very enthusiastic and committed squad so professionally in the limited time available to them with assignments and foreign postings.

Over the years the Irish have found it difficult to fit in games and you have to go back to 2015 for their last representative fixtures when they drew 1-1 with the RAF in England and before that to 2014 for another game and a 1-1 in Holland with the Dutch Forces.While the previous year the Irish defeated the RAF Women 2-1 in Galway.
 
Irish Defence Forces Women: Linda McNamara; Karen Irwin, Kim Turner, Siobhan O’Sullivan, Rebecca Coogan; Shelley Keogh, Amy Phelan, Ciara Carroll, Katherine Mooney; Sinead Taylor, Grainne Kennelly.
Subs: Leah McEvoy (for Kennelly 65 mins), Cloe Carroll (for Keogh 78 mins), Margaret Hogan (for Taylor 80 mins), Aisling Byrne (for Turner 86 mins), Chloe Foy (for Irwin 88 mins), Stacey Keogh (for Phelan 88 mins), Nicole Kelly (for Carroll 89 mins).

RAF Women: Nicola Symons; Rachel Dean, Rachel Howes, Rachel Rutherford, Robyn Stewart; Zara McIntosh, Rachel Griffiths, Catherine Beaver, Ashlyn Mester; Jade Brown, Keri Haywood.
Subs: Katherine Ratcliffe (for Brown 55 mins), Lauren Welsh (for Haywood 60 mins), Amelia Quinn-Downing (for Dean 75 mins), Mollie Lambert (for Griffiths 85 mins).
Referee: Sgt Alan Sherlock. Assistants: Pte Declan Toland, Coms Derek Stafford.

Ireland were drawn into Group C alongside England, Greece and Russia, and they will be hoping to progress into the latter rounds of the tournament. While they are aware of the challenge ahead, it is one that they are willing to embrace.

Simon Baker, chairman of the Irish Amputee Football Association and a stalwart defender on the team, insists this is a unique opportunity for the players to take Europe by surprise.

"As this is the first ever European Championships, the players and coaching staff will hope to make their mark on this tournament and show Europe that we are a force to be reckoned with," said Baker (pictured above).

"The squad acknowledge that they've been drawn into the toughest of the three groups but they will remain confident of achieving the aims that they have set out for the tournament.

"The squad has been preparing since October 2016 - training one full weekend every month in the University of Limerick. On top of that, they have had various one-day sessions at the FAI National Training Centre with Declan Considine and Nick Harrison overseeing the team's style of play and preparing scouting reports on the opposition. Also, physio Louise Costello has been a big help in developing the players' core strength, flexibility and agility.

"For all involved to have made the selection of the final squad is a dream come true. To go out and stand in the Ireland jersey, singing the national anthem is such an honour. These players have worked so hard over the past year to represent Ireland at the EUROs."

Amongst the players selected for the squad is Chris McElligott, who inspired a nation as one of the leaders on RTE's Operation Transformation. 

Ireland will need to finish in the top six in this tournament in order to secure qualification for the Amputee World Cup next year. And hopes are high that they can make an impact.

Ireland Squad
Goalkeepers: James Conroy, Justin Guiney, Patrick Hutton
Defenders: David Saunders, Kevin Cahillane, Simon Baker
Midfielders: Garry Hoey, Alan Wall, Keavan O'Rourke, Eanna Durham
Forwards: James Boyle, Neil Hoey, Chris McElligott

Fixtures
Tuesday, October 3: Ireland v Russia
Wednesday, October 4: Ireland v England
Thursday, October 5: Ireland v Greece