Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland. The team played its first match in 1978 and has competed in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship since 1988.
Nickname(s) | Boys in Green | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Football Association of Ireland (FAI) | ||
Head coach | Jim Crawford | ||
Most caps | Conor Coventry (28) | ||
Top scorer | Robbie Brady (7) Kevin Doyle (7) | ||
| |||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Dublin; 8 March 1978) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Tallaght Stadium, Dublin; 10 August 2010) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Baunatal; 23 March 1993) | |||
Best result | Have never qualified |
History
As a European under-21 team, the Republic of Ireland participates in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which takes place every two years. There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. Ireland did not enter the first five Under-21 Championships, entering for the first time in 1988 but failing to qualify. Ireland have never qualified for the European Under-21 Championships.
UEFA European Under-21 Championship record
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record | UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |||
1978 | did not enter | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
1980 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
1982 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
1984 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
1986 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
1988 | did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |||||||||
1990 | did not enter | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
1992 | did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | |||||||||
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8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 20 | ||||||||||
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8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | ||||||||||
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8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 7 | ||||||||||
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8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 | ||||||||||
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8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||||
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8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | ||||||||||
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8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | ||||||||||
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2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||
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8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 14 | ||||||||||
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10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 11 | ||||||||||
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8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||||
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8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | ||||||||||
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10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 17 | ||||||||||
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10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 15 | ||||||||||
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10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||||
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Did not qualify | Ongoing | ||||||||||||||
Total | 122 | 37 | 24 | 61 | 143 | 176 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shootout.
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ![]() |
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---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 5 | +14 | 24 | Final tournament | — | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
2 | ![]() |
10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 19 | Play-offs | 0–2 | — | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
3 | ![]() |
10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 8 | +14 | 18 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 6–0 | ||
4 | ![]() |
10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 16 | −7 | 11 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–0 | ||
5 | ![]() |
10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 11 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 3–0 | ||
6 | ![]() |
10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 26 | −24 | 1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | — |
2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs
The four play-off winners qualify for the final tournament.
All times are CEST (UTC+2), as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Croatia ![]() |
3–3 (5–4 p) | ![]() |
2–1 | 1–2 (a.e.t.) |
Slovakia ![]() |
3–5 | ![]() |
3–2 | 0–3 |
Republic of Ireland ![]() |
1–1 (1–3 p) | ![]() |
1–1 | 0–0 (a.e.t.) |
Iceland ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
1–2 | 0–0 |
Results and fixtures
2021
26 March 2021 Friendly | Wales ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() | Gresford, Wales |
13:00 GMT | Adams ![]() |
Report | Afolabi ![]() Boyes ![]() |
Stadium: Colliers Park |
30 May 2021 Friendly | Switzerland ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | Marbella, Spain |
12:00 EST | Stergiou ![]() Barès ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Marbella Football Centre |
2 June 2021 Friendly | Australia U23 ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() | Marbella, Spain |
13:00 EST |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Marbella Football Centre Referee: Parejo Nieto (Spain) |
5 June 2021 Friendly | Denmark ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() | Marbella, Spain |
17:00 EST |
|
Report | Stadium: Marbella Football Centre |
3 September 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Bosnia and Herzegovina ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
16:30 CET | Report | Wright ![]() Coventry ![]() |
Stadium: FA Training Centre Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway) |
7 September 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Luxembourg ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Dudelange, Luxembourg |
16:00 CET | Kuete Nsidjine ![]() |
Report | Whelan ![]() |
Stadium: Stade Jos Nosbaum Referee: Loukas Sotiriou (Cyprus) |
8 October 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
17:15 IST | Kayode ![]() Coventry ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Referee: Besfort Kasumi (Kosovo) |
12 October 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Montenegro ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Podgorica, Montenegro |
17:30 CET | Krstović ![]() Vukcevic ![]() |
Report | McGuinness ![]() Coventry ![]() |
Stadium: Podgorica City Stadium Referee: Barbeno Luca (San Marino) |
12 November 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
17:30 IST | Report | Lucca ![]() Cancellieri ![]() |
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 2,161 Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania) |
16 November 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
19:00 IST | O'Neill ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 1,535 Referee: Peter Kralović (Slovakia) |
2022
29 March 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Sweden ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Borås, Sweden |
16:00 CET | Report | Tierney ![]() Wright ![]() |
Stadium: Borås Arena Referee: Vitor Ferreira (Portugal) |
3 June 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
19:30 IST | Report | Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 3,057 Referee: Luca Cibelli (Switzerland) |
6 June 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 3–1 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
17:00 IST | Smallbone ![]() Kerrigan ![]() Wright ![]() |
Report | Ðukanović ![]() |
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 3,126 Referee: Jan Petrik (Czech Republic) |
14 June 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Italy ![]() | 4–1 | ![]() | Ascoli Piceno, Italy |
16:30 CET | Rovella ![]() Cambiaghi ![]() Pellegri ![]() Quagliata ![]() |
Report | Coventry ![]() |
Stadium: Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca Referee: Gergo Bogár (Hungary) |
23 September 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Play-off 1st leg | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
19:00 IST (21:00 IST) | Evan Ferguson ![]() |
Report | Idan Gorno ![]() Stav Lemkin ![]() |
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 6,786 Referee: Dario Bel (Croatia |
27 September 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Play-off 2nd leg | Israel ![]() | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–1 p) | ![]() | Tel Aviv, Israel |
18:15 IST (20:15 IST) | Report | Stadium: Bloomfield Stadium Referee: Nathan Verboomen (Belgium) | ||
Penalties | ||||
Eden Kartsev ![]() Daniel Peretz ![]() Gil Cohen ![]() Osher Davida ![]() |
Conor Coventry ![]() Tyreik Wright ![]() Evan Ferguson ![]() Dawson Devoy ![]() |
1–1 on aggregate. Israel won 3–1 on penalties and qualified for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
2023
26 March 2023 Friendly | Republic of Ireland ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
16:00 GMT | Tom Cannon ![]() Festy Ebosele ![]() Johnny Kenny ![]() |
Kristall Máni Ingason ![]() |
Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 6,000 |
Staff
The Under-21s' management team includes:[1]
Position | Name | Appointed |
---|---|---|
Head coach | ![]() |
5 April 2020 |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
9 July 2020 |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
15 March 2023 |
Goalkeeping coach | ![]() |
24 April 2020 |
Strength & Conditioning Coach | ![]() |
24 April 2020 |
Lead Performance Analyst | ![]() |
2020 |
Performance analyst | ![]() |
2021 |
Sports scientist | ![]() |
2021 |
Physiotherapist | ![]() |
24 April 2019 |
Sports therapist | ![]() |
2020 |
Doctor | ![]() |
2021 |
Kitman | ![]() |
2020 |
Players
Current squad
Players born on or after 1 January 2002 are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The following players were called up for the Friendly against Iceland U-21 on 26 March 2023.[2][3] Caps and goals updated as of 26 March 2023, after the game vs Iceland.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | GK | Tiernan Brooks | 17 June 2003 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
1 | GK | Josh Keeley | 17 May 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
23 | GK | Jimmy Corcoran | 1 February 2001 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
7 | DF | Festy Ebosele | 2 August 2002 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
3 | DF | Sean Roughan | 14 March 2003 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
12 | DF | Tayo Adaramola | 14 November 2003 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
2 | DF | Sam Curtis | 1 December 2005 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
5 | DF | Anselmo García MacNulty | 19 February 2003 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
4 | DF | Jay McGrath | 15 April 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
13 | DF | James Furlong | 19 October 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
6 | MF | Joe Hodge (captain) | 14 September 2002 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
8 | MF | Bosun Lawal | 30 May 2003 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
14 | MF | Killian Phillips | 30 March 2002 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
19 | MF | Kian Leavy | 21 March 2002 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
20 | MF | Cian Hayes | 29 June 2003 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
11 | FW | Ollie O'Neill | 8 January 2003 | 6 | 1 | ![]() |
10 | FW | Andrew Moran | 15 October 2003 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
9 | FW | Tom Cannon | 28 December 2002 | 1 | 1 | ![]() |
15 | FW | Sinclair Armstrong | 22 June 2003 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
17 | FW | Johnny Kenny | 6 June 2003 | 1 | 1 | ![]() |
18 | FW | Armstrong Oko-Flex | 2 March 2002 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad in the last 12 months and remain eligible:
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | Connor O'Riordan | 7 June 2002 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Matt Healy | 12 April 2002 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Evan Ferguson | 19 October 2004 | 10 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Mipo Odubeko | 21 October 2002 | 4 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Dara Costelloe | 11 December 2002 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Darragh Burns | 6 August 2002 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
INJ Withdrew from latest squad due to injury |
Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped for the senior team.
References
- "Management Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. 24 January 2019.
- "Ireland U21s squad named for Iceland game in Cork | Football Association of Ireland".
- "PREVIEW | Ireland U21 v Iceland U21 | Football Association of Ireland".