Six of the 20 players in Tom Mohan's squad were born in England, but the other 14 all came through the schoolboy system in Ireland and, for many, that was their first experience of elite level football.
As they got older the players benefitted from various FAI programmes but starting off in schoolboy football was essential. And one of the most striking things about this particular group of players is that they experienced top level coaching from different parts of the country. There are players from Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford.
Starting off at their local clubs provided them with the launchpad for their careers and that period of time should not be underestimated. Take Festy Ebosele as an example. The lightning quick forward grew up in Enniscorthy, Wexford and had his first taste of team football with Themoyne Rangers. It was there that he started to learn about tactics and teamwork. So when he was selected to play in the SFAI National Cup, he excelled (reaching three finals in a row) and eventually moved on to St Joseph's Boys.
Ebosele shares a common trait with many of his U-19 international colleagues in that he has played above his age grade for many years. He only featured for Colin O'Brien's U-17 team at this year's EUROs in Ireland and now he is in Armenia as part of Mohan's set-up. It is the same for other players like Kameron Ledwidge and Andrew Omobamidele, who both won the SFAI Skechers Cup before progressing on.
For many years, the SFAI New Balance Kennedy Cup has maintained a strong link with some of the best homegrown players who have represented Ireland. That has not changed with many of the country's best young players using the tournament in the University of Limerick to add more to their skillset and experience.
The coaching, administration and support provided to these players at schoolboy level - whether with their respective clubs or representive teams - has played a hugely significant part in their development. Without that grounding the path to the semi-finals of a European Championship would have been insurmountable.
However, the professional structure of the Leagues & committees around the country allow the schoolboy clubs to test themselves at a good level, while the focus on better coaching and improved facilities has been a huge step forward in bringing young players to the next level. St Joseph's Boys are a prime example of that as they have four graduates (Andy Lyons, Brandon Kavanagh, Festy Ebosele, Jonathan Afolabi) in the Ireland panel.
The work done by the SFAI should not be overlooked, but the schoolboy clubs, from Cootehill Celtic in Cavan to Villa FC in Waterford, deserve a lot of credit for their part in helping the bulk of the current U-19 squad reach the final four in Europe.