Brian Kerr yesterday named a squad of 20 players for this month's World Youth Cup warm-up tournament in Abu Dhabi where the Republic is scheduled to play South Korea, host nation United Arab Emirates and France.
Bray's Eamon Zayed is one of five players added to the panel that competed in the European finals in Norway last year with Glen Whelan and Willo Flood of Manchester City, Liverpool's Darren Potter and Conor Gethins of Ross County also getting the chance to impress Kerr prior to the selection of the squad for the championship itself which gets under way in the UAE in late March.
Zayed's strong form in a relegation threatened Wanderers side has earned him his chance while Flood's continued progress at City has prompted Kerr to promote the Dublin born midfielder from the Irish under-18 team.
Mark Rossiter, who came on as a substitute for Sunderland at the weekend, is a slight doubt for the trip after picking up a minor injury against Bolton.
SQUAD: Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa), Brian Murphy (Manchester City), Stephen Brennan (Newcastle Utd), Stephen Paisley (Manchester City), Stephen Capper (Sunderland), Patrick McCarthy (Boston Utd), Mark Rossiter (Sunderland), Stephen Kelly (Tottenham), Adrian Deane (Charlton Ath), Glen Whelan (Manchester City), Michael Foley (Liverpool), Darren Potter (Liverpool), Sean Thornton (Sunderland), Graham Ward (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jonathon Daly (Stockport County), Eamon Zayed (Bray Wanderers), Stephen Elliott (Manchester City), Liam Kearney (Nottm Forest), Willo Flood (Manchester City), Conor Gethins (Ross County).
