Although absent from this week’s trip to Turkey as he continues his recovery from knee surgery in January, Jon Walters has assured Martin O’Neill that he is not planning to retire from international football.

Martin O’Neill said recently that he didn’t want to put any undue pressure on Declan Rice to decide his international future.

Dave Passmore has received clearance to run an ongoing women’s U21 programme from Hockey Ireland.

Defender Ryan Delaney will make his final appearance at Turner’s Cross for Cork City on Friday night after manager John Caulfield confirmed the defender is on his way back to English Championship side Burton Albion.

Tim Sherwood has revealed that he was involved in discussions with both Martin O’Neill and Jack Grealish about the attempt to call the player into the Irish squad for the games against England and Scotland.

Sean St Ledger misses out on tonight’s friendly against Oman at Craven Cottage but the defender will always have happy memories of this ground.

The new kid on the block, David Meyler, bounces into the Grand Hotel and greets each of the awaiting media with his signature handshake.

Ireland U21 winger Robbie Brady has been promoted to Manchester United’s squad for their pre-season tour of South Africa and China.

Aiden McGeady has delivered a stinging riposte to Roy Keane and others who continue to criticise his performances for the Republic of Ireland.

The first thought to flash through Aiden McGeady’s mind when the pain shot through his ankle at Spartak Moscow’s Spanish training camp earlier this month was that his dream of playing in this summer’s European Championships was over.

With their differing views on tidiness, the merits of Home and Away and other issues crucial to modern life, Denis Leamy and Rory Best may seem like the archetypal Odd Couple. Yet there are bonds between the players that run much deeper than any room-sharing squabbles or, for that matter, interprovincial bragging rights, writes Simon Lewis

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN is set to make a return to European rugby, following his resignation as head coach of the USA Eagles yesterday.

DERBY County’s highly-rated American-born striker Conor Doyle is in line for a debut when the Irish U21s take on Cyprus in a friendly in Larnaca today (kick off 2.30pm local time).

IPSWICH manager Roy Keane has hit out at Ireland’s management for taking defender Darren O’Dea to Armenia last week when he should have been back at Portman Road for treatment on his knee injury.

RICHIE TOWELL believes a baby-faced Republic of Ireland U21 side can use the final game of a forgettable campaign as something to build on for the future.

IRELAND’S U21 side suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to Switzerland in a UEFA Championships qualifier they could have won in Lugano.

WE’VE grown so accustomed to Giovanni Trapattoni casting Ireland as David versus Goliath that it almost came as a shock yesterday to hear an opposition manager insisting that the roles should be reversed.

CONCERNED about the limited options up front in his original squad, Giovanni Trapattoni has extracted Cillian Sheridan from the U21s to join the senior panel for the European Championship qualifiers against Armenia and Andorra.

Republic of Ireland Under-21s 2 Spain Under-21s 1

STUART PEARCE may just be hedging his bets but the England U21 boss insists the FAI will be onto a good thing whether they appoint Terry Venables or Giovanni Trapattoni as their new manager.

Ireland Under-21s 34 Italy Under-21s 9

THINGS are happening fast in the world of Jamie Heaslip lately. The last time he had time to notice the leaves were only beginning to fall, so he’s positively bemused by the fact it’s Christmas already.

The Republic of Ireland’s youngsters failed to stop the rot of a seven-match sequence without a win as they lost to France in their UEFA U21 Championship qualifier in Cork.

South Africa 42 Ireland 25

IRB U21 World Cup Pool stage results:

Ireland U21 2 Israel U21 2

Ireland U21 0 Israel U21 2

DON GIVENS’ Irish U21s will take on Israel in Herzliya today hoping to get their European Championship qualifying campaign back on the rails after successive defeats by Switzerland and France.

Ireland Under-21 6 England Under-21 28

The IRFU have published a new yearbook to mark what has been a memorable 12 months for Irish rugby.

George O’Callaghan could make a return to the Cork City starting line-up as the Leesiders welcome Longford Town to Turner’s Cross tonight (7.45pm).

Dublin City manager Roddy Collins will have Shaun Byrne available for his relegation-threatened side as they take on Waterford United at Tolka Park tonight (7.45pm).

Switzerland Under-21 4 Republic of Ireland Under-21 2

Stephen Elliott has given the Irish under-21 side the lead in their clash against Bulgaria tonight.

Ireland 27 France 19

Saracens' Darragh O'Mahony has enjoyed a successful career in England but, when the Corkman watches Munster taking on Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup quarter-final this weekend, he will find it hard to submerge a certain sense of regret. Hugh Farrelly met him in London.

DAVID PUSEY will make his debut for Cork Constitution when he plays in the Munster Senior League final against Shannon at Musgrave Park, tomorrow (2.30 pm).

Ireland's Under-21s will take part in two friendlies against French Regional selections in Templeville Road, at 12 noon and 1.45pm, on Saturday next.

Ireland24

Argentina 30 Ireland 19

The Irish U21s went down to South Africa in a cliffhanger finish to their first game of the IRB U21 World Cup in London.

Under-21 International latest: