Cork City's Corcoran and Healy get first under-21 call-ups, in-form Cannon also included for Turner's Cross friendly 

WELL-DESERVED: Matt Healy, Cork City FC, gets his shot away to score the opening goal, under pressure from, Donal Higgins, UCD. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Ireland under-21 boss Jim Crawford has handed Cork City duo Jimmy Corcoran and Matt Healy their maiden call-ups ahead of the friendly against Iceland at Turner’s Cross later this month.

Goalkeeper Corcoran and midfielder Healy are two of 13 previously uncapped U21 internationals named in Crawford's squad.

On-loan Everton striker, Tom Cannon - making a real name for himself in the English second-tier with Preston - is also included in Crawford's squad, where he will vie for a starting spot against Celtic's Johnny Kenny (on-loan at Shamrock Rovers), West Ham's Armstrong Okoflex and QPR's Sinclair Armstrong.

Former Drogheda United youngster Killian Phillips (on-loan at Shrewsbury Town from Crystal Palace) is included in the midfield ranks alongside Wolves' Joe Hodge and Andrew Moran - another of Brighton's budding crop of green shoots. 

IN-FORM: Preston North End goalscorer Tom Cannon celebrates after the Sky Bet Championship match at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, Rotherham. Pic: Nigel French/PA Wire.

Udinese's Festy Ebosele will be hoping for game time at Turner's Cross, as will Lincoln City's Sean Roughan, who was impressive in his stint at Drogheda United last year. 

Bohemians’ Head of Academy Trevor Croly will join the U21s coaching staff for this international window, following the departure of John O'Shea to the senior setup. 

Head coach Crawford said: “This promises to be an exciting occasion. A new look team, in our first international of year in what we hope will be in front of a big crowd in Turner’s Cross.

“It’s a great opportunity for these players to go out and show what they’re capable of against a very good Iceland side. It’s been six months since we were last together and I’m looking forward to meeting up with the players and staff again.

“We want to bring our fans on a journey and that starts against Iceland and I’ve no doubt the Cork public will get behind us all the way.”

Republic of Ireland Under-21s Squad 

Goalkeepers: Tiernan Brooks (Notts County), Jimmy Corcoran (Cork City), Josh Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur) 

Defenders: Tayo Adaramola (Crystal Palace), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), James Furlong (Motherwell, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (NAC Breda, on loan from Wolfsburg), Connor O’Riordan (Crewe Alexandra), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City) 

Midfielders: Cian Hayes (Fleetwood Town), Matt Healy (Cork City, on loan from Ipswich Town), Joe Hodge (Wolves), Bosun Lawal (Celtic), Killian Phillips (Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Crystal Palace) 

Forwards: Sinclair Armstrong (QPR), Tom Cannon (Preston North End, on loan from Everton), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Andrew Moran (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ollie O’Neill (Derry City, on loan from Fulham), Armstrong Okoflex (West Ham United) 

International Friendly Fixture 

Sunday, March 26 | Ireland U21 v Iceland U21, Turner’s Cross, Cork, KO 4pm (live on LOITV)