Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan and Liverpool's Trent Kone-Doherty have been called up to the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad for the first time ahead of the upcoming qualification window.
Jim Crawford has named his 23-man squad for the opening of their 2027 European Championship qualification campaign, with an away trip to Moldova first up on 4 September (5pm, Irish time) with a home tie against Andorra in Tallaght on 9 September (7.30pm).
It's a first U21 call-up for the 17-year-old Noonan, who last year became the youngest ever scorer in the UEFA Conference League when he scored the winnner in the Hoops' away tie in Molde. He's not the only League of Ireland striker in the squad, with Mason Melia, who scored against Hungary in March, retained in the squad.
There are also first-time call-ups for the Derry-born Koné-Doherty, as well as Southampton's Romeo Akachukwu, Derby County's Freddie Turley and Hull City’s Cathal McCarthy.
The Watford duo of Rocco Vata and James Abankwah return to the U21 fold after being called up for Heimir Hallgrimsson's senior squad in late March.
Manchester United defender Jacob Devaney gets a second call-up having impressed in the June internationals in Croatia along with QPR attacker Cian Dillon.
Crawford's side are in a group containing England, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, as well as Moldova and Andorra.
For the 2025 competition, they narrowly missed out on a play-off spot to Norway on goal difference, a controversial late equaliser for the Norwegians in the penultimate game in Turner's Cross proving decisive.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad
Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Brestois), Aaron Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur), Andrew Wogan (Chester FC, on loan from Stockport County).
Defenders: James Abankwah (Watford), Jacob Devaney (Manchester United), Sean Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Jacob Slater (Brighton & Hove Albion), Freddie Turley (Derby County).
Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Jad Hakiki (Sligo Rovers), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Murphy (Bristol City), Harry Vaughan (Hull City).
Forwards: Cian Dillon (Queens Park Rangers), Trent Kone-Doherty (Liverpool), Mason Melia (St. Patrick's Athletic), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Mark O’Mahony (Reading, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Rocco Vata (Watford).
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