Benfica's Jaden Umeh, Shamrock Rovers’ Adam Brennan, Malaga’s Aaron Ochoa-Moloney and Reading’s Sean Patton have received first call-ups to the Republic of Ireland Under-21s squad ahead of two crunch UEFA European Championship qualifiers against Moldova and Kazakhstan.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Gabriel Otegbayo, Chesterfield’s Sam Curtis, Ipswich Town’s Leon Ayinde and Shamrock Rovers’ Cory O’Sullivan all return, but Crawford will be without his captain James Abankwah who has been named in the senior squad for the World Cup play-off against Czech Republic.
Ireland return to Dublin for the first time since September 2025 when they take on Moldova on Thursday, 26 March at Tallaght Stadium.
The Boys in Green then head to Kazakhstan the following Tuesday.
Back in November, Crawford's side slumped to a 4-0 loss in Andorra, having previously put in a spirited display in a 2-0 defeat to table-toppers England.
Ireland are third in the six-team Group D, six points behind second-placed Slovakia but with a game in hand.
The nine group winners and the best runner-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) qualify directly for the tournament. The remaining eight runners-up head for the play-offs.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad
Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Reims), Aaron Maguire (Hampton & Richmond Borough, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Conor Walsh (Shelbourne).
Defenders: Sam Curtis (Chesterfield), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), Conor McManus (Brentford), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Cory O’Sullivan (Shamrock Rovers), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Gabriel Otegbayo (Sheffield Wednesday).
Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Colchester United, on loan from Southampton), Jacob Devaney (St Mirren, on loan from Manchester United), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City),Jack Moorhouse (Manchester United), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Aaron Ochoa Moloney (Malaga).
Forwards: Leon Ayinde (Ipswich Town), Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers), Trent Kone Doherty (Molde), Tommy Lonergan (Waterford), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Sean Patton (Reading), Jaden Umeh (Benfica).
UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers (Group D)
Thursday 26 March 26: Republic of Ireland v Moldova, Tallaght Stadium, 5.15pm
Tuesday 31 March: Kazakhstan v Republic of Ireland, Turkestan Arena, 3pm (Irish time)
