Ennis teenager Colm Walsh O’Loghlen has been named in the Republic of Ireland U18 schools soccer squad that host the Australia Schools select in a friendly this weekend.
Home Farm FC, Whitehall hosts the International Friendly this Saturday, with a scheduled kick off at 3pm. This will be the seventh occasion these two teams have met in the last seventeen years. The visitors have enjoyed the upper hand in proceedings thus far with an impressive record. Ireland have only won once, drew twice and lost 3 times in their previous outings against the southern hemisphere side.
A student at Rice College in Ennis, Colm has been impressing on the football pitch from an early age when he lined out for Avenue Utd. Limerick F.C. then came calling for the pacy winger, moves to Mervue Utd and his current club Galway United F.C. followed.
He is already capped at international level, having featured for the Irish U17s in March of last year.
Manager Paddy O’Reilly and his backroom team will be serve as ideal preparation ahead of the Centenary Shield. In this competition, they will face off with Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England with their first game down for February 16th.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Paul MARTIN, John MARTIN (both Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown), Tunmise SOBOWALE (Mount Sion CBS SS, Waterford), Darryl WALSH (St. Declan’s CC, Waterford), John MAHON (Coola PPS, Sligo), Shane BLANEY (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Alec BYRNE (Carrigaline CS), Ronan MANNING (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Colm WALSH O’LOGHLEN (Rice College, Ennis), Seán McDONALD (Clonkeen College, Blackrock), Neil FARRUGIA (St. Andrew’s College, Blackrock), Neill BYRNE (Dunshaughlin CC), Vinny QUINLAN (Gorey CS), James CARROLL (St. Oliver’s CC, Drogheda), Stephen NOLAN (St. Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall), Jamie BELL, Seán McBRIDE (both St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar), Michael MURPHY (St. Paul’s College, Raheny)
MANAGEMENT: Paddy O’REILLY, Manager (Trinity Comprehensive School, Ballymun), William O’CONNOR Assistant Manager (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Ollie HORGAN, Coach (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), John McSHANE, Assistant Coach (Dublin Oak Academy, Bray), Conor FOLEY, GK Coach (Athlone Community College), Michael McGLYNN (Physio), Dr. Aidan O’COLMAIN (Team Doctor), Paul MASTERSON (Equipment Manager)