Arsenal striker Graham Barrett, fresh in the knowledge of his senior colleagues' Premiership success at Highbury on Sunday, is set to lead the line for the Republic of Ireland under-16s as they take on Portugal in the UEFA Youths Championship semi-final at Perth this evening (7.30).
Barrett, with superb goals against Finland and Denmark from an attacking midfield role, will be Ireland's chief attacking foil in the absence of David McMahon who misses out due suspension, having picked up a second yellow card in the quarterfinal defeat of Denmark.
Liam Brady, Arsenal's youth development officer, has been instrumental in Barrett's presence here. This point is not lost on manager Brian Kerr who has expressed his gratitude to Arsenal for allowing the player travel despite only returning to fitness after the serious knee ligament injury which saw him sidelined for five months.
Brady will be here to watch Barrett and Ireland as Kerr's side, slight underdogs, look to raise the profile of Irish youth football at this level to even further heights and, it is hoped, make history in the process by becoming the first Irish team to reach a major championship final.
It's been a happy ending to a season of frustration for Barrett, who along with left-back Keith Foy, is from the Kilnamanagh area of Tallaght.
"I'm delighted to be back playing after the injury," said Barrett, "It's the start of my season, not the end of it."
Though he's not played a full 80 minutes yet, his performances have had a telling effect on Ireland's progress.
"It's as if he's just back from pre-season training, he's sparking," said Kerr. "David McMahon is a huge loss as his sheer presence by nature causes continental opponents problems. But Graham will cause them difficulties of a different kind as he's excellent on the ground. He is adaptable and elusive and is difficult to mark.
"It's been like having a new player. We didn't use him at all in the first match. He's become fitter as the competition progressed. His touch is excellent and his confidence is flowing after scoring the two goals."
Portugal, three times winners of this competition, are once again regarded as one of the favourites. "They're an excellent side technically, " said Kerr. "They play it the way the game should be played at this level with good passing and movement and will always play attacking football.
"We would hope that they would be a bit loose defensively in their anxiety to attack and we will want to exploit that."
Barrett epitomised the confidence of this Irish squad. "There isn't one person in the whole Irish party who doesn't think we can't beat Portugal," he said. "They are a very good side and it will be a tough game. But there is great confidence in our team and we're not afraid of them at all. In fact, we believe we can go all the way."
Des Byrne, who made three substitute appearances in the group games, is out of the tournament having broken a bone in his foot.
The squad rested yesterday, not training at all after a gruelling four matches in eight days, a situation new to them all.
Foy, with a swollen ankle, and goalkeeper Joseph Murphy, who nursed a sore shoulder throughout the Denmark match, have received treatment from physio Declan Mahon and are fit to start the biggest match of their lives; 80 minutes away from making history in becoming the first Irish international team to reach the final of a major championship.
Ireland Under-16 (probable team): Murphy (Tranmere Rovers); Thompson (Home Farm), O'Shea (Waterford Bohemians), Good- win (Celtic), Foy (Nottingham Forest); Grogan (Manchester United), Miller (Celtic), S Byrne (West Ham United); McGill (Rivervalley Rangers), Barrett (Arsenal), Reid (Nottingham Forest).
