Underage squads: Best Prospects

The Irish will travel to Germany to take on the hosts, the Czech Republic and Slovakia later this month. The group winners then join the hosts Greece in the final tournament from July 6-19.

“It is difficult to qualify for the finals at this level. I don’t understand how the tournaments at senior, U21s and U17s get increased in size but the U19s weren’t,” said Doolin.

“It is actually is a bit of an insult to the U19s players overall – which is a really good standard of football.

“As it stands the system doesn’t leave you with much margin for error. The way things are we know that in the first game against the Czechs we need to get something out of it to stay in contention.”

Doolin has named 17 out of the 18 players and will assess his options before confirming the final player.

Overall the Irish boss has delighted with the application of his squad this season and feels they can got to the Elite Qualifying Phase with confidence.

“The players have every right to feel they can go there and do well. They have scored 21 goals conceded 6 in ten games. They are an excellent group of players,” he said.

“We’ve had most of these lads since the Czech Republic at U18 last year. They’ve grown and become really confident. Joel Coustrain, Fiacre Kelleher, Kevin Toner, Reece Grego-Cox all have stepped up and they need to be confident that they can do well without being cocky or arrogant.

“All of the teams we play here will be strong but this season we’ve improved game after game. We expected to get out of the first phase and we did so playing good attacking football. The players have improved no end since the first game.

“You see Reece getting onto the pitch for QPR and Josh Cullen on the bench for West Ham. Players like Kevin Toner and Fiacre Kelleher have grown into this level and really improving which is very pleasing. Ryan Manning has been really excellent since we started.

“It’s a real team and that’s all we’ve always wanted. A group of people who want to do well for each other and I feel that we are playing a brand of football that is as good as anything seen by an Irish team at any level this season.”

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U19 SQUAD:

Liam Bossin (Anderlecht)

Harry Doherty (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Des Hutchinson (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Jack Hallahan (West Bromwich Albion)

Ryan Manning (Queens Park Rangers)

Reece Grego-Cox (Queens Park Rangers)

Connor Dimaio (Sheffield United)

Joel Coustrain (Sheffield United)

Noe Baba (Fulham)

Fiacre Kelleher (Celtic)

Kevin Toner (Aston Villa)

Bobby Moseley (Birmingham City)

Harry Charsley (Everton)

Josh Cullen (West Ham United)

Eoghan Stokes (Leeds United)

Sean Heaney (Shelbourne)

Jamie McGrath (St Patricks Athletic)

FIXTURES

Thursday, March 26, 2015

UEFA U19 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 2

Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic, Carl-Benz Stadium, Mannheim (GER) (4.00pm Irish)

Saturday, March 28, 2015

UEFA U19 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 2

Germany v Republic of Ireland, Hardtwaldstadion, Sandhausen (GER) (11.00am Irish)

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

UEFA U19 Championships Elite Qualifying Round Group 2

Republic of Ireland v Slovakia, Carl-Benz Stadium, Mannheim (GER) (11.00am Irish)