Ex SKB boy Daniel Mandriou now doing exceptionally well with Brighton and Hove Albion makes a merited and long overdue reappearance in the Irish Under 17 International squad along with ex team mates Darragh Leahy (Coventry City) Trevor Clarke and Luke Wade Slater although surprisingly omitted is another ex SKB player Robbie McCourt (WBA) .
A 3-1 win over Belarus on Monday in their second game has put Ireland in a strong position going in to the final game of this qualifying group against the host nation Poland on Thursday.
The Irish met Greece in Wronki, Poland on Saturday as both sides were seeking to get off to a solid start in the battle to secure a place in the finals of the tournament in Bulgaria in May. Greece took a 2-0 lead but goals from Trevor Clarke and Josh Barrett levelled matters and that's how it stayed.
With two teams potentially qualifying for the finals there is less of the do-or-die element that often surrounds opening games in groups where just one team progresses.
Ireland beat Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands then drew with Scotland in their qualifying round matches in September.
The group winners and seven runners-up with the best record against the sides first and third in their section progress to the finals to join the hosts Bulgaria in the 16-team UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals from 6 to 22 May 2015.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U17s:
Caoimhin Kelleher (Ringmahon Rangers)
Thomas McDermott (Tottenham Hotspur)
Luke Wade-Slater (St Kevin’s Boys)
Corey O'Keeffe (Birmingham City)
Conor Masterson (Liverpool)
Shane Hanney (Shamrock Rovers)
Oisin Connolly (Sligo Rovers)
JJ Lunney (Preston North End)
Daniel Mandrou (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Eoin Stokes (Templeogue United FC)
Conor Levingstone (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Avis Ganiyu (Sunderland AFC)
Connor Ronan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Zachary Elbouzedi (West Bromwich Albion)
Jamie Aherne (Lucan United)
Trevor Clarke (Unattached)
Darragh Leahy (Coventry City)
Josh Barrett (Reading)
FIXTURES
Saturday, March 21, 2015
UEFA U17 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 4
Republic of Ireland v Greece, Amica, Wronki (POL) (11.00am Irish)
Monday, March 23, 2015
UEFA U17 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 4
Belarus v Republic of Ireland, Amica, Wronki (POL)(11.00am Irish)
Thursday, March 26, 2015
UEFA U17 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 4
Republic of Ireland v Poland, Groclin Dyskobolia, Grodzisk Wielkopolski (POL) (5.00pm Irish)
