Cork's Jaden Umeh set for first Ireland start

Bohemians midfielder Dawson Devoy is also in line to win his first Ireland cap when Heimir Hallgrimsson's side face World Cup co-hosts Canada on Friday night

Jaden Umeh won his first Ireland cap in the 1-0 victory over Qatar. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Jaden Umeh’s whirlwind week in which he celebrated a first Ireland cap and then sat his Leaving Certificate remotely here in Montreal will end on a real high — a first international start.

The 18-year-old Benfica winger will be named in Heimir Hallgrimsson’s starting XI for tonight’s friendly clash with World Cup co-hosts Canada at Stade Saputo with Bohemians midfielder Dawson Devoy also included from the off.

Hallgrimsson brought a heavily shuffled 23-man squad across the Atlantic with seven League of Ireland representatives and nine uncapped players among the travelling party, which also included Hibs striker Owen Elding as a training player.

All 23 have been named in the matchday squad but it is Umeh and Devoy who jump out of Hallgrimsson’s starting line-up to face Jesse Marsch’s side. 

Cork native Umeh made his Ireland debut and dazzled off the bench in last Thursday’s 1–0 win over Qatar at Lansdowne Road. He was given special dispensation to sit a number of Leaving Cert exams at the team’s hotel in downtown Montreal this week, with a member of the FAI support staff serving as an exam invigilator.

The Benfica starlet, who only last year was representing Ireland’s U17s, will make his senior start as Hallgrimsson rewards him for a hugely promising week of work here. “[Jaden’s] been really, really good,” said the manager on Thursday.

Devoy will be handed a first international cap from the off as he partners Conor Coventry in the Ireland midfield, the honour coming on the back of scintillating League of Ireland form for the Bohs captain and playmaker.

With so much youth and inexperience in the panel, Hallgrimsson is going to keep a little bit of seasoned help on the bench. During Thursday’s training session at Stade Saputo, Celtic’s Liam Scales lined up with the reserves. Jamie McGrath is another to come off the bench.

Mark Travers will start in goal behind a back three which looks certain to be Jake O’Brien, captain Nathan Collins and James Abankwah, the Watford man being one of just two players who’ve featured across the entirety of two extended May and June international camps.

Seamus Coleman and Corrie Ndaba are poised to fill the wing-back berths with Coventry and Devoy in the middle and Umeh and Chiedozie Ogbene playing off Troy Parrott.

Friday night’s match serves as Canada’s official World Cup send-off ahead of their tournament opener next Friday against Bosnia in Toronto.

Ireland XI vs Canada (3-4-2-1): Travers; O’Brien, Collins, Abankwah; Coleman, Devoy, Coventry, Ndaba; Ogbene, Umeh; Parrott.