THREE Cork players are being included in the Ireland U18 men’s basketball squad.

David Lehane, Andrew O’Connor, and Eli Lenihan will pull on the green singlet next July, when the team competes at the FIBA U18 European Championship Division B in Romania.

Lehane is the key player for Blue Demons’ U18s, while O’Connor plays with Ballincollig, and Lenihan lines out for Neptune. Also included is Belfast Star three-point shooter, CJ Fulton, and Moycullen’s Paul Kelly, who was at midfield this season for the Galway minor football team that lost the All-Ireland final to Kerry.

Neptune’s Paul Kelleher is the head coach.

“It’s a very exciting time to be back in the B Division. With that in mind, the selection of this phase of the programme was very, very difficult. We have left some really good players behind and, in some areas, the position of players was very saturated, which had a huge bearing on the selection.

“It is a very talented generation and I think we will see a lot of the players at senior level in future years. A lot of the players selected are now playing senior club basketball and, crucially, have European experience. The staff are very excited, moving forward."

IRELAND U18 squad:

Andrew O’Connor, Presentation Brothers, Cork, Ballincollig 

CJ Fulton, St Malachy’s, Belfast, Belfast Star 

Daire Kennelly, Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee Imperials 

David Lehane, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, Blue Demons 

Eli Lenihan, SMGS Blarney, Neptune BC 

James Connaire, St Joseph’s The Bish, Moycullen BC 

Leeroy Odiahio, Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee Imperials 

Matthew Harper, Templeogue College, Templeogue BC 

Nate Moore, Crescent Comprehensive, Limerick Lions 

Paul Kelly, St Paul’s Oughterard, Moycullen BC 

Rapolas Buivydas, CBS The Green, St Brendan’s/Tralee Warriors 

Ronan Cregan, Crescent Comprehensive, Limerick Lions 

Sanmi Fajana, Myerscough College, Manchester 

Stephen Achukwu, NCI, Killester BC 

Tiernan Howe, Coláiste Chiarain, Dublin Lions