Following their superb qualifying stage success in Cork, the Republic of Ireland Under 19 team will travel to Bratislava in Slovakia for the Elite Group stage of the UEFA Championships.

Sean McCaffrey's charges have been drawn in a very challenging Group Two alongside Georgia, Turkey and hosts Slovakia. The squad will be seeking to emerge as Group Winners and thereby qualify for the Championship Finals, to be held in Poland at the end of July 2006.

Elite Group Two Match Schedule

Friday 19 May 2006
Georgia	v	Turkey
Slovakia	v	Rep. Ireland
Sunday 21 May 2006
Slovakia	v	Georgia
Turkey	v	Rep. Ireland
Tuesday 23 May 2006
Slovakia	v	Turkey
Georgia	v	Rep. Ireland

In preparation for the Elite qualifiers, Ireland will participate in the La Manga Tournament in Spain. The tournament will take place between the 27th February and the 3rd March 2006. Ireland will be joined by Norway, who are hosting the event, Scotland and one further country.

The draw for the first qualifying group stage of the 2007 UEFA U19 Championships was made in Cyprus. Ireland has been placed in Group Three with Holland, Belarus and FYR Macedonia.

The qualifying tournament will take place in the Autumn of 2006 with the top two sides progressing to the Elite Group stage of the competition.

The Championship Finals will be staged in Austria during July 2007.