Under-21 Training Squad Announced

The Ireland Under-21 management team of Mark McDermott (coach) and Niall O’Shea (manager) have named a panel of 44 players for two upcoming training weekends on November 18-20 and 25-26.

Ireland Under-21 coach Mark McDermott

The Ireland Under-21 management team of Mark McDermott (coach) and Niall O’Shea (manager) have named a panel of 44 players for two upcoming training weekends on November 18-20 and 25-26.

The training weekends, which will be based in Dublin, will also involve two games against French Under-21 regional sides on Saturday, November 26. Both games will take place on the same day at Stradbrook, Blackrock College RFC, at 12.00pm and 2.00pm.

The panel includes six players – Jonathan Sexton, Stephen Ferris, Stuart Philpott, Cillian Willis, Ross Noonan and Conan Doyle – who played under McDermott at last summer’s IRB U-21 World Cup in Argentina.

The selected Ireland Under-21 training squad is as follows:

Backs (20):

Kevin Barden (Old Belvedere), Dale Black (Dungannon), Mark Butler (UL Bohemians), Fionn Carr (Blackrock College), Darren Cave (Malone), Matthew D’Arcy (Dublin University), Conor Donohue (Dublin University), Conan Doyle (Garryowen), Peter Durcan (Galwegians), Tom Gleeson (Cork Constitution), Kieran Hallett (Bedford Blues), Ian Hanly (UL Bohemians), Paul Marshall (Ballynahinch), Stewart Megaw (Ballynahinch), Fergus McFadden (UCD), Evan Ryan (UCC), Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College), Duncan Williams (UCC), Matt Williams (Bristol Shoguns/Hartpury College), Cillian Willis (UCD).

Forwards (24):

Callum Black (Worcester Warriors/Hartpury College), Ron Boucher (Lansdowne), Cian Culleton (Dublin University), Michael Diffley (Buccaneers), Paul Doran-Jones (Dublin University), Batt Duggan (UCC), Michael Essex (UCC), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon), Billy Holland (UCC), Darragh Hurley (UCC), Chris Kennefick (UCC), Diarmuid Laffan (Dublin University), David McGowan (Buccaneers), Conor McInerney (UCD), Ross Noonan (UCC), Sean O’Brien (UCD), Gavin O’Meara (Lansdowne), Killian O’Neill (Dublin University), Stuart Philpott (Belfast Harlequins), David Pollock (Queens University), Devin Toner (Lansdowne), Dan Touhy (Gloucester/Hartpury College), David Ryan (Highfield), Ejike Uzoigwe (Hartpury College).

IRELAND UNDER-21 2005/06 FIXTURES:

U-21 Six Nations:

Friday, February 3: Ireland U-21 v Italy U-21, tbc, tbc

Friday, February 10: France U-21 v Ireland U-21, tbc, tbc

Saturday, February 25: Ireland U-21 v Wales U-21, tbc, tbc

Friday, March 10: Ireland U-21 v Scotland U-21, tbc, tbc

Friday, March 17: England U-21 v Ireland U-21, tbc, tbc

U-21 World Cup:

June, France