Baba to lead out Ireland

The first African-born player to captain Ireland, Cameroon native Noe Baba, will lead out the Under-17s tonight against Azerbaijan in his new home of Castlebar (6pm).

These two friendly matches between the nations at Milebush Park — the second at noon on Thursday — are part of the team’s final preparations ahead of the UEFA qualifiers from September 29 –October 4 when Ireland face Sweden, Romania and Macedonia in a mini-group seeking one of the two places on offer into the elite stage.

Centre-back Baba was 10 when he moved with his family from Cameroon to Mayo and was first capped at just 13.