Under-21 Preview: Portugal v Rep of Ireland, 9.0

Republic of Ireland under-21 coach Don Givens has made one change from the side that lost 2-0 in Holland for this evening's European…

Republic of Ireland under-21 coach Don Givens has made one change from the side that lost 2-0 in Holland for this evening's European Championship qualifier against Portugal in Marinha Grande.

With Givens looking for his players to take the game to their hosts, Arsenal's Graham Barrett returns from injury in place of Aston Villa's John McGrath. The Dubliner, who only turns 19 today, will win his seventh cap at this level.

"I'm happy with the way the lads have progressed," said Givens, "and I think if we were meeting the Portuguese in Toulon again, looking for a draw in order to make the semi-finals as we were during the summer, then I'd be confident of getting it this time. Of course, it'll be more difficult here."

When the two sides met at the invitation tournament in the south of France the Portuguese were comfortable 3-0 winners, and eight of the host nation's players who started that game will be involved from the outset tonight.

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TEAM: Delaney (Port Vale); Healy (Celtic), Gavin (Middlesbrough), O'Shea (Manchester United), Clarke (Stoke City); B Quinn (Coventry City), O'Connor (Stoke City), A Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday); Barrett (Arsenal); Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Reddy (Sunderland).