Keogh and Heaney part of ROI squad taking part in UEFA U16 tournament in Sweden

REPUBLIC of Ireland Under-16 Head Coach Paul Osam named a 20-man squad for the UEFA Under-16 Development Tournament underway in Sweden and both Sligo Rovers’ Seamas Keogh and Cillian Heaney are part of the squad.

Keogh, from Grange, captained the side. He also previously captained the U15s. Head Coach Osam takes charge of his side for the final time this season, for games against Sweden, Austria and Turkey. The players will move on to Colin O’Brien’s Under-17 side next season.

With three games in five days, Osam says the Development Tournament will be a taster for what’s to come at Under-17 level. Osam said: “We’re trying to replicate as close as possible to what the players will be dealing with next year at the Under-17 European Championships.

“They will be playing three games in five days in Sweden. It’s as close as possible to what the players experience in tournament football. This is a culmination of everything we have done this season.

“We want to hand the best players over to Under-17 Head Coach Colin O’Brien for next season,” he added.

Osam’s side began their campaign against Sweden on Friday. The hosts scored twice in the opening ten minutes and the game ended 2-0.

Then on Sunday, the Republic of Ireland U16s lost their second match of the UEFA Development Tournament in Sweden after a 3-0 defeat to Austria.

Paul Osam’s side conceded twice in the first-half, before Austria ensured the win with their third and final goal after the break. Seven changes were made to the side that lost to Sweden on Friday night. Captain Seamas Keogh, James Furlong, Joe Hodge and Sean Kennedy all kept their places in the starting line-up.

Speaking after the game, Head Coach Osam said the side have some areas to work on ahead of their final game of the tournament on Tuesday. Osam said: “Our first objective will be to keep a clean sheet. We’ve tried to do that in the first two games. We hope to get a positive result.”

Ireland’s U16 side end their season with a game against Turkey, on Tuesday in Munkedal. Kick-off is at 11am (10am Irish time).

Republic of Ireland U16 Squad: Goalkeepers: Harry Halwax (Leixlip United), Dan Rose (Everton). Defenders: Thomas Considine (Bohemians), Alex Dunne (Shamrock Rovers), James Furlong (Shamrock Rovers), Cian Kelly (Shamrock Rovers), Mazeed Ogbungo (Arsenal), Conrad Egan-Riley (Manchester City), Luke Turner (Shamrock Rovers).

Midfielders: Matt Healy (College Corinthians), Joe Hodge (Manchester City), Brandon Holt (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Seamas Keogh (Sligo Rovers), Ronan McKinley (Derry City)

Forwards: Festy Ebosele (Bray Wanderers), Cillian Heaney (Sligo Rovers), Sean Kennedy (Tralee Dynamos), Sean McGrath (Limerick), Ayodeji Sotana (Manchester United), Conor Carty (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

SLIGO/LEITRIM YOUTH RESULTS AND FIXTURES