The Ireland U17 team will meet their French counterparts in two friendly matches to be played on Tuesday 17 May 2005 in Ozoir La Ferrieres at 19.00 hours and Thursday 19 May 2005 in Chelles at 15.00 hours. Both venues are in the Ile de France region just to the east of Paris.

With France particularly strong at this level, Sean McCaffrey has retained the bulk of the players who recently participated in the 2005 UEFA Championships. Several of these players will be seeking to impress the manager and place themselves in contention for inclusion in the preliminary 2006 UEFA U19 Championship Qualifying Group to be hosted by Ireland during October 2005.

Among those players seeking to catch the eye of McCaffey will be skipper Eddie Nolan and the two individuals who stood out for Ireland during the recent defeat to England in Walsall, Scott Davies and James Ryan.

There will be a number of players who missed out on selection for last year’s championships who will also wish to press their claims and principal among these will be Plymouth Argyle defender, Anthony McKeever and Owen Garvan who was a member of the successful FA Youth Cup winning team, Ipswich Town.

Three players make the squad for the first time and each will be hoping to make his debut for Ireland. The newcomers are Charlton Athletic midfielder, Kieran Murtagh and forwards Anthony Mason from Plymouth Argyle and Adam Rooney of Crumlin United. Rooney was a member of the FAIS Team which successfully defended the Centenary Cup earlier this year.

Full Squad:-
Goalkeepers: Stephen Henderson (Aston Villa), Lee Boyle (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Scott Davies (Reading), Simon Madden (Leeds United), Michael Spillane (Norwich City), Alan Power (Crumlin United), Edward Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Anthony McKeever (Plymouth Argyle)
Midfielders: Stephen Gleeson (Wolverhampton Wanderers), James Ryan (Liverpool), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Kieran Murtagh (Charlton Athletic), Gary Dunphy (Celtic), Keith Treacy (Blackburn Rovers)
Forwards: Anthony Mason (Plymouth Argyle), Alan Judge (Blackburn Rovers), Adam Rooney (Crumlin United), Willie John Kiely (Aberdeen).