The Republic of Ireland have lost the opening game of their UEFA Under-19 European Championship qualifiers 2-1 to Switzerland in Salzburg.

Spurs teenager Troy Parrott and Celtic's Lee O'Connor both make the move up from Stephen Kenny's U21 squad

Denmark have named an initial 20-man squad for their final Euro 2020 qualifiers against Gibraltar and the Republic of Ireland.

As it stands, the Republic of Ireland need to defeat Denmark by two clear goals to be absolutely certain of qualification to Euro 2020.

Spain needed an injury-time goal from Rodrigo to book their place at Euro 2020 with two matches to spare.

For a country synonymous with watches, Switzerland’s team have developed an unusual aversion to sticking by the clock.

Greetings from Tbilisi where, after a long haul that saw us checking into our hotel at 4.30am, a modest proposal formed in my addled brain: I think Istanbul should be twinned with Limerick Junction.

As far as Mick McCarthy is concerned, the good news is that Georgia held Denmark 0-0. And the bad news is that Georgia held Denmark 0-0.

Darren Randolph is making no apologies for the Republic of Ireland being difficult to beat as they attempt to secure a trip to a third successive European Championships finals.

David McGoldrick and Callum Robinson are out of Tuesday night’s friendly with Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium.

On a night players from both sides found it difficult to find their feet, Mick McCarthy didn’t slip up in keeping Ireland on the road to a third successive Euro finals.

It’s an old adage in football: if you can’t win a game, at least do your best not to lose it.

In the run-up to big games, we easily pleased meeja types like nothing better than when rival managers and players have the fabled ‘pop’ at each other.

The agony and ecstasy riff is a familiar one in sport but rarely can it have had a more literal application than to the bittersweet situation in which Alan Judge found himself at the conclusion of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with Denmark in Copenhagen in June.

Seamus Coleman has warned the Republic of Ireland not to be taken in by the absence of Switzerland's talisman Xherdan Shaqiri as the sides go head-to-head in the battle for Euro 2020 qualification.

While Mick McCarthy is always prepared to cut a little slack for a couple of his more experienced and established names, the manager has never sought to minimise the weight he attaches to the general requirement that, in order to play for their country, his players really need to be playing for their clubs.

Mick McCarthy has named his Ireland squad for the forthcoming European Championship qualifier against Switzerland and the friendly with Bulgaria.

Jack Byrne says he welcomed Mick McCarthy’s recent forthright observations about what the Shamrock Rovers playmaker needs to do to break into the manager’s Ireland squad.

The squad for the Euro 2020 qualifier against Switzerland will be announced on Friday.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Harry Arter has joined Championship side Fulham on loan for the season.

Deep into this summer like no other for in-demand Luca Connell, the green of Ireland rather than Celtic constitutes his main attraction.

Cork City will face opposition from Luxembourg or Wales in their Europa League first qualifying round.

En route to an audience with Robbie Keane in Crumlin the other day, the journey down the Long Mile Road and past the Half-Way House offered a handy metaphor for where Ireland are at in their Euro 2020 campaign.

Wednesday evening had been intended as Cinema Evening, a new picture house having opened around the corner and being in need of investigation and appraisal. Given my enduring weakness for high-school movies there was only going to be one winner: Booksmart, in which two clever students realise on the eve of graduation that they should have worked less and played more, upon which they hit the town and attempt to cram four years of lost fun into one night.

International football doesn’t ravage the energy reserves as relentlessly as the domestic English game in which Mick McCarthy was so long immersed but the Republic of Ireland manager is clearly looking forward to the summer recess.

At the half-way point in Euro 2020 qualifying, the good news for Ireland is that they sit atop the group table with a healthy haul of ten points from four games.

Mick McCarthy has refused to countenance the idea that he may stay on beyond the current Euro 2020 campaign as Republic of Ireland manager, branding a query on the issue as disrespectful to Stephen Kenny.

Seamus Coleman says he regrets that Ireland weren’t able to put on “a show” for the fans at the Aviva last night.

A bore fest rather than a score fest, Ireland once again made heavy weather of seeing off Gibraltar.

Mick and Seamus had done their bit to temper the giddiness. Coach and captain had held up Ireland’s struggles against Gibraltar two months ago as reason for caution ahead of this latest European qualifier, but there was always the sense that the audience were nodding heads out of respect rather than agreement.

Mick McCarthy couldn't work it out.

Ireland’s striker quartet remain without a goal after David McGoldrick saw his effort against Gibraltar chalked off an own-goal.

The Republic of Ireland laboured to a 2-0 UEFA qualifying victory over Gibraltar leaving Mick McCarthy’s side top of the group but with plenty of work to do.

The Football Association of Ireland and the Aviva stadium have paid a touching tribute to late RTÉ Sport broadcaster, Pat McAuliffe.

As expected, Ireland have overcome Gibraltar thanks to an own goal and a late Robert Brady strike. Ger McCarthy runs the rule over the lessons learned.

After doing the heavy lifting in Copenhagen on Friday, Ireland should be relishing a comparatively easy shift in Dublin tonight.

The flip flops were a necessity, they also told the tale of a niggly night in Copenhagen.

It will come as no surprise to anyone to learn that Seamus Coleman doesn’t expect to be swapping Friday’s scrap in the Parken for a stroll in the park tonight.

Mick McCarthy has challenged the Republic of Ireland to back up their hard-earned Euro 2020 qualifying point in Denmark with victory over Gibraltar tomorrow evening.

Ireland hero Darren Randolph revealed his side were determined to give Denmark a battle in Friday night’s 1-1 draw.

A look at the lessons we can take from tonight's draw against Denmark.

Taking a look at what to expect from tomorrow's Euro qualifier against Denmark.

Callum O’Dowda has now gone beyond the point in his career, for both club and country, where he is viewed as a bright prospect.

Denmark defender Mathias Jorgensen has seen enough of Ireland in the past 20 months to believe not even Mick McCarthy can extinguish their defensive instincts.