Owen Elding gets under-21 call as Jim Crawford names squad for Euro play-offs against Finland

Owen Elding of the Republic of Ireland. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Republic of Ireland under-21 head coach Jim Crawford has named a 23-player squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs against Finland.

Included in an under-21 squad for the first time is Hibernian’s Owen Elding, who earned his first senior cap in the last international window and has been in impressive form for the Edinburgh side.

Matteo Egan is also named in an Under-21 squad for the first time with the teenager having established himself as part of the first team at Italian club Empoli. Matteo was first capped with Ireland at Under-16 level.

Former Dundalk striker Gbemi Arubi returns to squad having broken into the Burton Albion first team and Bromley’s Owen Mason earns another call-up having been ruled out in the September/October qualifiers through injury.

Ireland face Finland over two legs with the first on Friday, November 13 (kick-off 4.15pm Irish time). 

The young Boys in Green then return to Ireland and take on the Finns at the Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium in Cork on Tuesday, November 17 (kick-off 5.45pm).

They secured their place in the play-offs with an exceptional four-game winning streak that saw them beat European Champions England 3-1 in Cork - reaching the play-offs for the second time in Irish under-21s history.

Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-21 squad:

Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Royal Francs Borains), Owen Mason (Bromley), Conor Walsh (Shelbourne).

Defenders: Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers), Matteo Egan (Empoli), Oisin Gallagher (Barnet, on loan from Lincoln City), Sean Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Cathal McCarthy (Kilmarnock, on loan from Hull City), Conor McManus (Gillingham), Alex Murphy (1 FC Kaiserslautern, on loan from Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United).

Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Jacob Devaney (Hibernian, on loan from Manchester United), Rory Finneran (Notts County, on loan from Newcastle United), Darius Luipsic (Notts County), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers).

Forwards: Gbemi Arbui (Burton Albion), Leon Ayinde (Doncaster Rovers), Owen Elding (Hibernian), Trent Kone Doherty (Molde), Tommy Lonergan (Waterford), Kian McMahon Brown (Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Burnley), Ike Orazi (Stade de Reims).