IRELAND U21 MANAGER Noel King has called up four players to his squad for this week’s friendly against Norway with Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish the most notable of the withdrawals.
In come Fulham defender Sean Kavanagh, Dundee striker Philip Roberts, Shelbourne winger Dylan Connolly and Tottenham’s Kenny McEvoy, on-loan at Peteborough United with Bradley Garmston, Conor Wilkinson, Will Hayhurst joining Grealish as absentees.
“The players have been ruled out for a variety of reasons and it opens the door for the other players who have been called up,” said King, whose team play in Drammen on Thursday (6pm Irish time).
“It’s a friendly game. Everybody that comes in will play and we will get a good look at them as we look to build a squad for the next qualifying campaign.”
Uncertainty remains over the international future of Grealish, with England U21s boss Gareth Southgate revealing they are keeping tabs on the winger.
Villa have chosen to keep the 19-year-old, who is the middle of negotiations over a new contract, at the club for training and a first team match behind close doors this week and King is satisfied with the circumstances behind his absence.
“I accept Jack’s reasons for withdrawing and understand it,” he said. “I have no issue with it and just see this as an opportunity for other players to come in and show what they can do.”
Ireland U21 squad to face Norway:
Ian Lawlor (Manchester City)
Danny Rogers (Aberdeen – on-loan at Dumbarton FC)
Sean Long (Reading)
Mason Watkins-Clark (Stoke City)
Thomas Hoban (Watford)
Shane Griffin (Reading)
Eoghan O’Connell (Celtic)
Pierce Sweeney (Reading)
Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers)
Alan Browne (Preston North End)
Jack Connors (Dagenham & Redbridge)
Kieran Sadlier (West Ham United)
Kenneth McEvoy (Tottenham Hotspur – on-loan at Peterborough United)
Sean Kavanagh (Fulham)
Jack Byrne (Manchester City)
Dylan Connolly (Shelbourne)
Philip Roberts (Dundee FC)
Sam Byrne (Everton)
