Ireland U21 manager Noel King has confirmed his Ireland Under 21 squad for the friendly international with Austria in the Showgrounds, Sligo on Tuesday the 9th August. Leeds United full back Aiden White is a new addition to the squad, while goalkeeper Aaron McCarey links up at this level for the first time, following his performances at the UEFA Under 19 Finals in Romania last week.
The Austria friendly is a warm up for the upcoming 2013 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers against Hungary (home) and Turkey (away) on 1 and 6 September.
Also included in the squad is Derry born Everton central defender Shane Duffy who is tipped to go out on loan from the Toffees before the start of the season to gain valuable game time in the Championship.
Belfast born Dundalk midfielder Daniel Kearns is also included in the sixteen man squad after an eye-catching performance against Celtic in the Dublin Super Cup at the Aviva Stadium last Sunday. Dundalk manager Ian Foster was full of praise for the 19 year old former West Ham trainee after the Aviva Stadium performance:
"He was the best League of Ireland player against Celtic by a million miles, for me. It was a strange decision at the weekend to take him off after 74 minutes when, like I say, I thought he was the best player on the pitch in League of Ireland colours. But that game will have done him the world of good and it will have done his confidence the world of good.”
Kearns has been linked with a number of clubs in the UK in recent months, and just nearly a year after signing on at Oriel Park, the young winger could be about to make an exit, with his contract set to expire at the end of the current season. “We’re not going to stand in anybody’s way,” Foster said when asked if he felt the Belfast boy’s performance against Celtic had perhaps sealed a move back across the water. “If offers do come in for Daniel now, which wouldn’t surprise me, we’ll listen to them and we’ll do what’s best for Dundalk Football Club and for Daniel Kearns’ career. I’ve said this umpteen times to Daniel, that we’ll look after him, I wouldn’t be surprised if during the week one or two enquiries do come in.”
Ireland U21 squad
Goalkeepers
Aaron McCarey Wolverhampton Wnds
Ian McLoughlin MK Dons
Defenders
Niall Canavan Scunthorpe United
Mark Connolly Bolton Wanderers
Shane Duffy Everton
Gavin Gunning Scunthorpe United
Robert Kiernan Wigan Athletic
Enda Stevens Shamrock Rovers
Aiden White Leeds United
Midfielders
Adam Barton Preston North End
Conor Clifford Chelsea
Daniel Kearns Dundalk
Richie Towell Glasgow Celtic
Jeff Hendrick Derby County FC
Forwards
Aaron Doran Inverness Caledonian T
Joe Mason Cardiff City
Sean Scannell Crystal Palace
Robert Brady Manchester United FC (On-loan to Hull City FC)
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