Two eircom League players in U19 squad

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.

Ward is one of two home-based players named in the squad for this qualifying mini-tournament, the other being Stephen O’Mahoney from Limerick FC.

Colin Doyle of Birmingham City had been named in the squad but he was forced to withdraw after damaging a cartilage in his knee playing for his club’s reserve team last night.

The Republic’s opening game is against Bulgaria on Thursday, September 18, and they follow up with a game against the host nation two days later.

They complete their schedule of matches against Lithuania on Monday, September 22.

Manager McCaffrey realises the importance of making a good start. “If we win that game we will qualify,” he says.

“If we lose it, we can still qualify but it will be much more difficult.”

The full squad is :

Eamonn Fullerton (Livingston), Paul Murphy (Leicester City), Terry Masterson (Millwall), Stephen O’Mahoney (Limerick F.C.), Christopher Deans (Derby County), Patrick Flynn ( Wolverhampton Wanderers), Henry McStay (Leeds United), Stephen Ward (Bohemians), Stephen Foley-Sheridan (Aston Villa), Stephen Dawson (Leicester City), Willo Flood (Manchester City), Mark Yeates (Tottenham Hotspur), Mark Quigley (Millwall), Gary Mulligan (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Karl Bermingham (Manchester City), Alan O’Brien (Newcastle United), Paul McShane (Manchester United), Kevin O’Connor (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Manager : Sean McCaffrey.