A thrilling, testing time for young starlets

Ireland manager Colin O’Brien is talking about the progress being made by Gavin Bazunu, the precocious goalkeeping talent who joined Manchester City from Shamrock Rovers earlier this year, when he offloads a timely reminder of the still tender years of all the players who are now busily gearing up to represent their country in the U17 European Championship finals which kick off in Dublin on Friday.

“I think you have to bear in mind that Gavin has got his Leaving Cert in June,” says O’Brien. “And we have Joe Hodge (Man City) and Matt Everitt (Brighton) doing the equivalent to that in England.