Mohan’s young Irish guns ready for French challenge

AFTER nullifying the nous of Norway, Ireland U19s must find a way of shackling the finessed French in their second Euro finals game tonight in Yerevan, Armenia (6.0).

A 1-1 draw in Monday’s opener offers a springboard for Tom Mohan’s Boys in Green to secure one of the two spots on offer into next week’s semi-finals at the Armenia-hosted showpiece.

Ireland might have dodged three heavyweights — Italy, Portugal and Spain — in the draw but France’s squad is laced with quality. Defensive duo Benoit Badiashile and Giulian Biancone played for Monaco in their Champions League campaign last season.

France been tipped by Mohan to claim their second trophy in four years come Sunday week’s final but that prediction won’t prevent him trying to mastermind the shock of the tournament so far.

All the talk from the camp has been in unison with that message; the players intent on stretching their unbeaten competitive record this season to eight matches.

‘We came into the tournament as the only one of the seven qualifiers to win all six matches,’ reasoned winger Festy Ebosele, back in the frame to start after sitting out the first game with illness.

‘There is every belief within the group that we can beat any team.’

Wexford native Ebosele is one of four U17 players in the Ireland squad and views the tournament as a window to press his club and international claims.

He’s currently playing for Derby County, the club Jeff Hendrick was at when he shone in Ireland’s last appearance at the finals in 2011.

‘It shows how big this tournament is,’ he said.

‘Jeff progressed from that tournament to have a great career and I’m hoping to do the same.’ IRELAND U19 v FRANCE U19, KO 6pm, LIVE RTÉ2 from 5.45.