The future of Irish football is taking shape as Heimir Hallgrímsson has named teenagers Mason Melia and Jaden Umeh in the Republic of Ireland squad to play Qatar in Dublin on May 28th and Canada in Montreal on June 6th.
The 24-man panel also includes uncapped Newcastle United left back Alex Murphy and four League of Ireland players with the Shamrock Rovers pair of goalkeeper Ed McGinty and 18-year-old winger Adam Brennan joined by Bohemians midfielder Dawson Devoy and Cork City goalkeeper Conor Brann.
Hallgrímsson has asked the FAI to reschedule the Dublin derby between Rovers and Bohs at Dalymount Park on Monday, May 25th, three days before the Qatar friendly at the Aviva Stadium. Rovers’ game against St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday, May 29th could also be moved if McGinty and Brennan are capped the night before.
Hallgrímsson contacted the three managers of the League of Ireland clubsbefore making his selections as the Qatar match falls outside Fifa’s international windows so the clubs are not obliged to release their players.
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“I told them if the players are available we’ll take them from the beginning of the camp,” Hallgrímsson said. “But obviously it’s in the hands of the clubs and the coaches if they want to release them.”
After handing out seven debuts during Saturday’s 5-0 defeat of Grenada in Spain, another 10 uncapped players are called into a squad that only retains James Abankwah, Chiedozie Ogbene and Jayson Molumby from the warm-weather camp in Spain.
Another interesting selection is Joe Hodge, the former Ireland under-21 captain who has revived a once promising career stalled by injury at Tondela in the Portuguese Primera Liga.
“I’ve seen a lot of Dawson. Not so much of Joe Hodge but [assistant coaches] John [O’Shea], Paddy [Carthy] and Jim [Crawford, the under-21 manager] have been speaking a lot about him.”
Séamus Coleman, who turns 38 in October, is searching for a new club after indicating to Hallgrímsson that he wants to continue playing next season despite being offered a coaching role at Everton. The Ireland manager hopes that Coleman will postpone his retirement until after Euro 2028.
“He is going to keep on playing,” Hallgrímsson confirmed. “Anyone who would sign Séamus Coleman would have a fantastic player in all areas, like a leader, a motivator, a battery and a good player as well. I am just looking forward to seeing where he ends up.”
[ Séamus Coleman’s Everton exit marks end of an era for captain fantasticOpens in new window ]
Owen Elding, the former Sligo Rovers attacker who has hit the ground running at Hibernian, will train with the group as he waits for his Irish citizenship to be confirmed later this summer. The 20-year-old was born in England but grew up in the west of Ireland after his father Anthony Elding signed for Sligo Rovers in 2013.
“I don’t know where his ceiling is. But he has really improved. He is really good,” said Halgrímsson.
Melia and Troy Parrott are the only centre forwards selected. With Evan Ferguson and Johnny Kenny both injured, Adam Idah and Tom Cannon, who scored twice against Grenada, are on standby.
Victor Ozhianvuna, who will complete a €2 million move to Arsenal in January, does not make the cut despite public promptings from Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley. Instead, the 17-year-old will make his debut for Crawford’s under-21s against Croatia next month.
Bosun Lawal is still hamstrung so Andrew Omobamidele returns following an impressive campaign for Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
Caoimhín Kelleher and Molumby are only available for the Qatar game while Everton reserve goalkeeper Mark Travers will join the squad for the Canada trip.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford), Ed McGinty (Shamrock Rovers), Conor Brann (Cork City), Mark Travers (Everton).
Defenders: Séamus Coleman (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Liam Scales (Celtic), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Andrew Omobamidele (Strasbourg), Corrie Ndaba (Lecce), James Abankwah (Watford), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Ryan Manning (Southampton).
Midfielders: Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Browne (Middlesbrough), Finn Azaz (Southampton), Joe Hodge (Tondela), Alex Gilbert (Middlesbrough), Dawson Devoy (Bohemians).
Attackers: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Jaden Umeh (Benfica), Mason Melia (Tottenham Hotspur), Chiedozie Ogbene (Ipswich Town), Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers).
