History for Ireland U17s as they qualify for World Cup

Qatar will host the expanded 48-nation tournament between November 5-27. Ireland’s last appearance at an underage men's World Cup was in 2003.

Ireland have qualified for the U17 World Cup after finishing as one of the four best runners-up across the seven groups. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Ireland have qualified for their first-ever U17 World Cup after another Jaden Umeh inspired win earned them a place among the 11 European qualifiers heading to Qatar in November.

Although Belgium took the sole ticket to the summer Euros from the mini-group, starting with a 1-0 win over Ireland last Thursday, Colin O’Brien’s side followed up the 2-0 weekend victory over hosts Poland by thumping Iceland 5-0.

Umeh – who joined Benfica from Cork City last year – replicated his brace against the Polish with another in today’s demolition in Gryfice.

Billy Canny from St. Patrick’s Athletic, Hoffenheim’s Finn Sherlock and Charles Akinrintayo from Shamrock Rovers scored to complete the rout.

The victory – and the emphatic nature of it – put Ireland in command to be part of the World Cup as one of the four best runners-up across the seven groups.

They were made to wait while the other groups were completed for confirmation but cannot be caught in the runner-up table.

Neither Spain or Netherlands qualified for the Euros, nor the World Cup.

Qatar will host the expanded 48-nation showpiece between November 5-27.

Ireland’s last appearance at an underage World Cup was in 2003 when a team including Kevin Doyle, Glenn Whelan, Stephen Kelly and Liam Kearney featured at the showpiece held in nearby United Arab Emirates.

In 2010, Noel King led his U17 girls squad, among them 16-year-old Denise O’Sullivan, to Euros silver and the World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago. The senior team broke new ground by reaching the 2023 World Cup in Australia.

IRELAND: G Moloney (Southampton); B Canny (St. Patrick’s Athletic), V Leonard (Dundalk), O McDonagh (Venezia), F Sherlock (Hoffenheim); G McDonnell (Club Brugge), R Finneran (Newcastle United), K McMahon Brown (Burnley); R Martos (UD Almeria), B Hayes (St Patrick’s Athletic), J Umeh (Benfica).

Subs: C Akinrintayo (Shamrock Rovers) for McDonnell (58 mins), V Ozhianvuna (Shamrock Rovers) for Martos (73 mins), Brody Lee (Shamrock Rovers) for Umeh and A Solanke (FC Lorient) for Hayes (81 mins), Gavin McAteer (Finn Harps) for Brown (82 mins).