The squad for the Ireland Under 17 International Rules schoolboy team to tour Australia in April has been announced. Twenty six players from 13 counties face test games against Australia on 12, 16 and 19 April, with the Melbourne Cricket Ground hosting the first dates. The final match will be played in Perth’s Fremantle Oval.
In addition to the 26 players, the travelling party will also include team selectors Eugene Lavin (Mayo), Declan Rowley (Longford), PJ McGowan (Donegal), and Dave Loughman (Limerick). The GAA’s Pat Daly is acting as tour manager and the referee is Michael Hughes of Tyrone.
Also heading to Australia in April will be a Connaught Colleges Gaelic Football Under 17 team. Thirty players from all five Connaught counties will play games in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The trip is part of the GAA's programme to promote Gaelic Football in Australia and is being funded by a combination of the Connaught Council, the Connacht Colleges Council and the Vocational Schools.
Irish squad:
Iomar Barrett (Galway), Patrick Brady (Cavan), Niall Collins (Derry), Ruairi Convery (Derry), Bryan Cullen (Dublin), Cillin de Paor (Galway), Paul Doherty (Antrim), John Doyle (Louth), Brian Flynn (Wicklow), Colm Forde (Mayo), David Gordon (Mayo), Mark McKeever (Cavan), Ciaran McKendrick (Galway), Michael Meehan (Galway), Padraig Moran (Galway), Patrick Mulvihill (Westmeath), William Murray (Longford), David Murtagh (Meath), Thomas O’Connor (Meath), Gary O’Grady (Wexford), Declan O’Loughlin (Laois), Declan O’Mahony (Dublin), Vincent Quigley (Wicklow), Shane Ryan (Tipperary), Joseph Sheridan (Meath), Paul Young (Derry)
Filed by Shane Stokes
