Plenty of green shoots on the horizon for Ireland U21s as Jim Crawford eyes progression

Evan Ferguson scores during the U17 European Championship qualifier against Andorra in 2019. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Jim Crawford has promised that Stephen Kenny’s trust in youth will be replicated at U21 level where 16-year old Evan Ferguson is among the options as the Republic of Ireland begin their Euro 2023 qualifying campaign today away to Bosnia-Herzegovina (3.30pm Irish time).

Half-a-dozen of the players who almost had Portugal’s number in Faro on Wednesday night were aged just 22 or younger and Crawford has named 10 teenagers in his 24-man squad, most of whom are still eligible for the U19s.