Givens: U21s need lift with Rebel roar

DON GIVENS is hoping that Cork’s special passion for football will help lift his Irish U21 side in their forthcoming European Championship games at Turners Cross.

Ireland are set to host Portugal and England at the home of Cork City FC on, respectively, September 7 and October 16, and the U21 boss is expecting a major role will be played by Leeside’s traditional 12th man.

“I’m always happy to come to Cork,” he says, “because basically we get great support in Cork. Our first two matches, against Portugal and England, are big ones from our point of view and both of them will be at Turner’s Cross and I know we will get the sort of enthusiastic backing from the fans we have come to expect.”