Mark O’Mahony and Leon Ayinde headline Ireland U21 Euro qualifier at Turner's Cross 

Cork City academy graduates Mark O’Mahony and Leon Ayinde will be in action this Friday with the Republic of Ireland U21s when they take on Slovakia in Euro qualifying at Turner’s Cross, 7.30pm.

The Boys in Green go into this round sitting in second place in the table following victories over Moldova and Andorra last September.

U21 manager Jim Crawford is very excited to come back to Cork and extend his side’s good run of form against one of the best teams in the group.

“We had a good start in terms of points – in our last window against Moldova and Andorra we got maximum points,” he said.

“So it makes for an exciting game down at Turner’s Cross against an excellent Slovakia team. 

"They are a Slovakia team that is experienced. There are three of them that just played in the U21 finals just gone. 

"There’s a lot of them playing first-team football at a decent level. It’s going to be a decent test for us and we’re looking forward to it.” 

The coach is very happy with the squad overall, as they look to keep their unbeaten start going ahead of a meeting with reigning European champions England in November.

“The way the players applied themselves,” Crawford talked about how his selection came together.

“They are a young group of players and with a young group of players you are going to have inconsistency. 

"The players keep at it. Okay, there were moments in games that were going against us but the boys showed a real level of maturity and potential to grab the games back in our favour and thankfully we won them.

Mason Melia, everyone knows, has just turned 18 and he is a fantastic talent that is playing week in, week out at St Pats. 

"He played in some big games this year in Europe. I was absolutely delighted for him to get two goals against Moldova and then there’s the story of Michael Noonan. 

"He’s a tremendous player, to come on and score to give us the three points. It was a nice fitting end to the international window.

“For me those are big positives because young players are stepping up to the line at international level.” 

The coach has carefully scouted every member of his squad for this meeting with Slovakia side sitting on top of the table.

LOCAL HERO

O’Mahony is the best name known locally as he was a member of the Cork City squad that won the First Division in 2022, before moving to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ayinde never made a first team appearance at Turner’s Cross, and the winger currently ply’s his trade with Ipswich Town after spending last season on loan at Rochdale in the National League.

“Everyone who has been selected has been selected through merit,” Crawford talked about his squad.

“They are high potential players. We’ve got Leon Ayinde from Ipswich Town, he has played for Cork City. 

"We’ve got James McManus, his parent club is Bohemian Football Club and he is playing week in week out at Sligo and doing a fantastic job there. It is great to have them on board because it increases our player pool.

“Like every squad you pick, there will be players left out and it is few and far between that you will be picking the same players every window. 

"At 21s football comes that inconsistency because they might not be having the best of times at their club but we have to pick the squad for the here and the now but also getting the balance right with the potential.

“Players, I see, is where is their ceiling. Is he going to be a future international? 

"We have to start looking after him now. We have to support that player in his development and I think that is hugely important to that 21s objective.”