Mayo schoolboys in Republic of Ireland squads

FORMER Iorras Aontaithe player Ryan O'Donoghue, a pupil at Our Lady's Secondary School, Belmullet, and now with Sligo Rovers, has been selected to participate in the Centenary Shield campaign this season for the Republic of Ireland Under 18 schools team.

Ryan, from Belmullet, will be part of the squad that competes in the upcoming competition against England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A right-back with Rovers, Ryan has been with the Bit O' Red since September 2014. He has played 21 times and scored one goal in a win over Longford Town.

The team’s schedule is as follows: Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland in Arklow Town FC, March 17; England v Republic of Ireland in Park Hall Stadium, The New Saints FC, April 8; Republic of Ireland v Scotland in Killarney Celtic FC, April 14; and Wales v Republic of Ireland in Llandudno, April 28.

Meanwhile, Clonbur native Fionn Curran, who plays for Mervue United in Galway and attends Ballinrobe Community School, played on the Republic of Ireland Under 18 home-based international side in two encounters with Wales this week.

He came on for the final 13 minutes in the first game on Monday (February 22) at a time when Ireland were laying siege to the Wales goal in an attempt to claw back a one-goal deficit - the gamed ended 1-0 in Wales' favour - while he started yesterday's (February 24) game and played 57 minutes before being replaced, manager Jim Crawford choosing to run the bench.

Ireland won yesterday's game 3-2 but the aggregate after two games was 3-3 and the Welsh won the penalty shootout to claim the inaugural John Coughlan Memorial International Cup.