Ireland Under-21s take on Croatia in the first of two friendlies in the June window in Vrbovec, Zagreb on Friday evening.

In what will be a stiff test for the young Boys in Green they will take on a Croatian side who have recorded four wins, a draw and a loss in their qualification group.

Bosun Lawal, Andrew Moran and Josh Keeley all returned from duty with John O’Shea’s senior team while Shamrock Rovers’ Conan Noonan and Accrington Stanley’s Connor O’Brien are set to be part of an Ireland match-day squad for the first time.

In what Head Coach Jim Crawford has described as important preparation before September’s qualifiers against Turkey and Latvia, Ireland will be facing the hosts in temperatures of 28C come kick-off.


What they said?

Ireland Under-21 Assistant Coach Paul McShane: “The key thing is performance from these two games. You go into everything game going to win but it’s an opportunity to look at every player in the squad and give them an opportunity to impress so that come September there’s a good competition for places.”

Ireland Under-21 Goalkeeper Josh Keeley said: “The call-up has given me motivation to kick-on. Going up and training with them and realising myself I’m in the senior set-up training with them, it’s put me one step closer. I’m looking forward to these friendlies, Croatia and England are two quality sides, it’s going to be good. These friendlies will set us up for September for those two big games.”

Fixture: Croatia U21 v Ireland U21
Date: Friday, June 7
Kick-Off: 5pm (IST)
Venue: Gradski Stadion, Vrbovec, Zagreb
Match coverage: Updates via @IrelandFootball on X

Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad

Goalkeepers: Tiernan Brooks (Notts County), Killian Cahill (Brighton & Hove Albion), Josh Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur),

Defenders: James Abankwah (Udinese), Sam Curtis (Sheffield United), Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (PEC Zwolle), Bosun Lawal (Celtic), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Connor O’Brien (Accrington Stanley), Connor O’Riordan (Blackburn Rovers), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City)

Midfielders: Baba Adeeko (Wigan Athletic), Matt Healy (Royal Francs Borains), Joe Hodge (Wolves), Andrew Moran (Brighton & Hove Albion), Conan Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Rocco Vata (Celtic)

Forwards: Sinclair Armstrong (QPR), Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall), Calum Kavanagh (Bradford City), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Mark O’Mahony (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ollie O’Neill (Leyton Orient), Armstrong Oko-Flex (FC Zurich), Tony Springett (Norwich City)