Tom O’halloran and Robbie Benson selected for the International Schools U18 team
The Boys U18 Schools International team will face their toughest test yet as they travel to England later in the week for the final fixture of the Centenary Shield campaign. The crunch encounter will take place in Burton Albion FC on Friday evening (30 April).
Manager, Dave Archbold is well aware of the huge task ahead of him but is confident of the team’s ability. A win for Ireland will see them capture the title from joint holders England and Northern Ireland.
England will be slight favourites heading into the game as they are top of the leader board with seven points while Ireland rest in second spot on six points. England have enjoyed an unbeaten spell of late with a comprehensive victory over Scotland last week (4-1), and an away win against Northern Ireland at the start of their campaign (1-4). The Welsh ran out a scoreless draw against the English which would indicate that there is some scope to disrupt the English dominance in this competition.
Ireland have enjoyed a relatively good passage of play in the Centenary Shield with a narrow 0-1 defeat at home to Northern Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, the only downfall of their campaign thus far. They brushed that experience aside and created a great win away to Wales (1-0) and an historic 5-2 thrashing of Scotland on Good Friday.
The Irish also played two competitive friendly matches against New Zealand and Australia which gave the management the opportunity to experiment with team formations and the introduction of a few new faces. Both games were highly entertaining but more importantly it helped the Irish management confirm their final selection ahead of Friday’s fixture.
Ireland will have to be tight in defence having conceded six goals in five competitive games this season. The Irish will be looking towards experienced players such as Captain Tomas Boyle, Brian Nolan, Robbie Benson, Jason Dwane and Sean Skelly to impose themselves on the game early on.
Archbold will have a difficult task in selecting his starting eleven as the talent and versatility in the team is evident. Central midfielders Sean Skelly and Hugh Douglas have scored two goals apiece for the Irish this season. Skelly netted two fabulous goals against Scotland while Douglas’s also featured as goal scorer against the same opposition while he also found the net courtesy of a well placed header against the Kiwi’s.
Darragh Walsh, Daryl Horgan, Gary Shaw and Tom O’Halloran are also registered goal scorers this season and will be hoping their fine form will continue for the final test against hosts England.
Everyone at iSTAT would like to wish the boys the best of luck.The match will be televised live on Sky Sports this Friday evening (KO 7.40pm).
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND PANEL: Marty McGinty (Deele College), Josh Byrne (De La Salle), Brian Nolan (St Paul’s CC), Adam Hanlon (Arklow Community College), Nathan Murphy (Colaiste Ris); Jason Dwane (St. Peter’s College), Tomas Boyle (Salesian College), Daryl Horgan (St. Enda’s College, Galway), Sean Skelly (St. Joseph’s Fairview), Tom O’Halloran (Athlone CC), Daragh Walshe (St. Kieran’s College), Sean Brosnan (St. Patrick’s SS, Castleisland) , Niall Cooney (Templeogue College), Gary Shaw (Patrician SS) Stephen Chambers (St. Fintan’s), Jake Carroll (Confey CC, Leixlip), Hugh Douglas (St. Brendan’s College), Robbie Benson (Marist College)
MANAGEMENT: Dave Archbold, Manager (Palmerstown Community School), Ollie Horgan, Assistant Manager (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Hugh Colhoun, Coach (St. Laurence College, Loughlinstown), Ian Carry, GK Coach (FAI Schools Development Officer), Mickey McGlynn (Physiotherapist), Dr. Tom Boyce (Doctor)
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