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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘We didn't have an answer' – Jim Crawford admits Ireland U21s ‘missing that magic moment' in friendly defeat to Croatia
JIM CRAWFORD bemoaned a lack of creative 'magic' as the Ireland Under-21s were beaten 1-0 by Croatia. Midfielder Fabijan Krivak scored with a deflected long-range effort early in the second half to give the hosts a victory against an experimental 2 The Ireland U21s lost to Croatia Credit: Gerry Scully/Sportsfile 2 Ireland U21 boss Jim Crawford, left, lamented the lack of creativity Credit: Gerry Scully/Sportsfile But boss Crawford felt his team lacked a spark in attack on a day when hot conditions went against them in Zagreb. Crawford said: 'The game is the game and we really didn't create very much after the first 20 minutes. 'That is the talking point among the staff and players. It was an extremely hot day and we knew what was in front of us in a Pot 1 team in 'I'm not making excuses but we knew what we were against. Read More on Ireland MNT 'I thought we created one or two chances in the first half and we could have been a goal or two to the good. 'But they took the sting out of the game after that. We tired quite quickly. 'Croatia moved the ball quite well and caused us a couple of problems without creating any clear-cut chances. 'We got so far up the pitch in the second half and we just needed that cutting edge to create something which we didn't. Most read in Football 'Croatia didn't create many chances either, so it was a game that probably deserved a 0-0. 'They took a shot from distance. It took a deflection and it went in. We didn't have an answer to that. The lads gave everything in trying circumstances. Heimir Hallgrimsson gives first call-up to four Ireland players in squad for friendlies vs Senegal and Luxembourg 'But it's about higher up the pitch when space is at a premium. 'We were missing that magic moment or something to unlock the door and give us a goal. But it was a great challenge. We knew it was going to be tough and we were happy after the first 20 minutes when we were the better team. 'Now we will debrief and look ahead to Tuesday which is a different challenge.' The Boys in Green face a Qatar Under-23 side on Tuesday in the final game of the international window ahead of their Euro 2027 qualification opener against Moldova in September. IRELAND U-21: A Maguire (N Jauny 46); Alex Murphy, D Okagbue, S Grehan; S Curtis (C O'Sullivan 89), J Mullins (J Devaney 82), D Lipsiuc (H Vaughan 66), J Slater; Adam Murphy (E McJannet 66); M O'Mahony (C Dillon 46), J Gardner (W Davis 46).
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Defeat for Ireland U-21s in Croatia as Jim Crawford hands out four new caps
The road to Euro 2027 officially begins in September but in the Croatian heat, the next generation of Ireland U-21 stars were pushed to the limit here.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jones names 12 uncapped players in Wales U21s squad
Matty Jones has included eight players that featured in Wales' recent senior training camp in Spain for his under-21s' friendly against Norway next month. Jones has named a 21-player squad which includes the likes of Lewys Benjamin, Joel Cotterill, Cian Ashford and Kai Andrews for the contest with Norway on 6 June (15:00 BST). Sam Parker, Dylan Lawlor, Rhys Thomas and Luey Giles - who also had the chance to impress senior boss Craig Bellamy earlier this month - have also been selected for the U21s fixture in Malaga. The squad featured 12 uncapped players, including Cardiff City's Luke Armstrong, Troy Perrett and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa along with Manchester City's Rhys Thomas. The fixture in Spain will be Wales' final match before they begin their U21 Euro 2027 qualifying campaign at home to the group's top seeds Denmark on 8 September. Evan Watts (Swansea City), Lewys Benjamin (Wolves), Luke Armstrong (Cardiff City), Archie Harris (AFC Bournemouth), Luey Giles (Cardiff City), Zac Williams (Crewe Alexandra), Ben Hammond (Nottingham Forest), Thierry Katsukunya (Aston Villa), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Sam Parker (Swansea City), Alex Williams (West Bromwich Albion), Rhys Thomas (Man City), Joel Cotterill (Swansea City), Kai Andrews (Coventry City), Jonathan Bland (Barnsley), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Troy Perrett (Cardiff City), Cian Ashford (Cardiff City), Tanatswa Nyakuhwa (Cardiff City), Cameron Congreve (Swansea City), Chris Popov (Leicester City).
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘It does make me proud' – Jim Crawford on helping Irish football's young guns develop for the future
As Jim Crawford sits back in the FAI's press conference room, the two TV screens behind him are showing the Ireland U-21 squad he announced yesterday morning ahead of the June double-header against Croatia and Qatar, the group's last camp before Euro 2027 qualifying kicks off in September.
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Man United Under-18 captain among newcomers called up to Ireland Under-21s squad by Jim Crawford for summer friendlies
MANCHESTER UNITED Under-18 captain Jacob Devaney has been called into the Ireland Under-21 squad for the first time for summer meetings with Croatia and Qatar. Yorkshire born midfielder Devaney - the son of former Barnsley star and Ireland youth striker Martin - is highly-rated at Old Trafford and has previously been in Irish Under-19 squads. But he is called up by Jim Crawford for the meetings with the Croat Under-21s and an Under-23 Qatar team as part of an experimental squad with a view towards the Euro 2027 qualifiers. Also included for the first time are Cork City's Cathal O'Sullivan, Shamrock Rovers' Cory O'Sullivan, and Drogheda United's Warren Davis. Crawford said: 'This is a young squad, we've nine players still in their teens but the majority of those nine are playing first team football or around the first-team environment. 'It's important we look at all options available to us, to put us in the best shape come September.' Read More On Irish Football Ireland kick off their Euro qualifying campaign away to Moldova on September 4 before a home clash with Andorra, with England and Slovakia also in the group. Ireland squad: Barrett (Sheffield Wednesday), Jauny (Brest), Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur), Wogan (Andrew Wogan), Curtis (Sheffield United), Grehan (Bohemians), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Cory O'Sullivan (Shamrock Rovers), Okagbue (Walsall), Otegbayo (Sheffield Wednesday), Slater (Brighton), Devaney (Manchester United), Lipsiuc (Walsall), Moorhouse (Manchester United), Mullin (Brighton), Adam Murphy (Bristol City), O'Brien-Whitmarsh (Southampton), Cathal O'Sullivan (Cork City), Vaughan (Hull City), Davis (Drogheda United), Gardner (Nottingham Forest), Hakiki (Sligo Rovers), Melia (St Patrick's Athletic), O'Mahony (Brighton). 1 Jim Crawford has named his Ireland U21s squad for the two upcoming games Shocking moment punches thrown as brawl erupts between Man Utd & Spurs fans in Spain ahead of Europa League final
