Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Don Givens today wrote off his side’s chances of qualifying for the European Championship finals following a 3-1 defeat in Israel.

Don Given's Republic of Ireland today kissed goodbye to their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Under-21 Championship finals.

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.

HAVING played in Ireland’s last two senior games under Brian Kerr, Celtic’s Aiden McGeady insists he is ready to push as hard for the Ireland U21s when they take on Israel in a make or break European Championship game on Friday.

ISRAEL manager Avraham Grant has claimed it will be an unfamiliar Israel team that Brian Kerr’s Republic of Ireland will face on Saturday week.

Don Givens has made six changes to his squad for the upcoming Under 21 European Championship game with Israel.

Leeds’ Coca-Cola Championship clash with Watford at Elland Road next Tuesday has been postponed because of international call-ups.

Republic of Ireland U 21 manager Don Givens has selected an 18-man squad for the European Championship qualification doubleheader with Cyprus and Switzerland at the beginning of September.

Don Givens’ Irish Under-21s aimed to make it 12 games unbeaten against Bulgaria at Drogheda tonight with new star Aiden McGeady in the side.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U-21 manager Don Givens has been forced to make two changes to his squad for Tuesday’s clash with Bulgaria at United Park, Drogheda (kick-off 7:30).

The Republic of Ireland U19s got their UEFA Championship qualification hopes back on track last night with a 3-1 victory over Serbia and Montenegro in Knokke, Belgium.

A FINE rearguard action earned the Republic of Ireland Under 21s an impressive 0-0 draw against Portugal in the opening game of the Madeira International Tournament in Machico yesterday.

The Republic of Ireland U21 side opened their account at the Madeira Island tournament this afternoon with a 0-0 stalemate against host nation Portugal.

Leeds United defender Henry McStay has been added to the Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad for the Madeira international tournament by manager Don Givens following the withdrawal of Scarborough's Stephen Capper.

Bohemians Stephen Ward has been included by international Under-19 manager Sean McCaffrey in a squad of 18 players he has named for the European 2003/2004 Championship first qualifying phase in San Marino next week.

Republic of Ireland Under-19 manager Sean McCaffrey has named a squad of 18 players for two friendly matches against Norway in Dublin later this month.

Republic of Ireland Under-19 manager Sean McCaffrey has major injury problems as he prepares for Ireland’s second game in the European Championship mini-qualifying tournament against Switzerland at Richmond Park tomorrow (ko 5pm).

The Irish Under-19 squad has made five late changes for the four-team tournamnet in Oport in Portugal this week.

Republic of Ireland manager Sean McCaffrey has named three home-based players in a squad of eighteen players for the Oporto (Portugal) Under-19 tournament later this month.

Brian Kerr’s Under-19s today lost the first of two friendlies they will play this week against Hungary in Budapest.