The young talents within the League of Ireland have become integral to Jim Crawford’s Republic of Ireland under-21 setup recently.
A substantial portion of his current squad actively plays for or has progressed through domestic clubs, which remains true this time.
The latest graduates to this level while still playing domestically are Cork City’s Cathal O’Sullivan, Shamrock Rovers’ Cory O’Sullivan, and Drogheda United’s Warren Davis.
Like Spurs-bound Mason Melia (injured) and St Patrick’s Athletic’s players before him, they’ve not only fit into the under-21 international level but “belong” at this standard.
Crawford confirms this after seeing the trio in Zagreb before matches against Croatia on Friday and Qatar under-23s next week.
“They’ve been great, really,” said Crawford. “There’s been no issue; they haven’t looked out of place, showing that they belong here.”
“I told Cathal that last year, playing in the First Division, he was outstanding. His promotion was great. Now, being in a league-winning team, it’s a significant challenge at Cork City, considering their budget.”
“Will they top the table? No. It’s a challenge I was excited to see, and he’s grasped it, been excellent. He excites crowds, and I’m excited to see him play for us.”
There’s been much buzz about the 18-year-old’s ability and potential. His departure to England is likely, with Crystal Palace interested.
Tim Clancy previously mentioned Melia’s €2 million fee, suggesting O’Sullivan is worth five times more. Seani Maguire recently called him “the best teenager in the country.”
This attention requires a cool head and focus. Crawford believes O’Sullivan has the right qualities.
“He’s level-headed, crucial with all the attention. Players can lose themselves with social media or external influences.”
“He’s well-balanced and has played big games for Cork, excelling and working hard, without arrogance.”
While O’Sullivan shines for City at the bottom, Cory O’Sullivan (19) at Rovers and Davis (20), scoring for Drogheda, excel at the top.
“Cory, so young, plays comfortably for the top team. Close interactions reveal his youth, but he plays with maturity and knowledge.”
“Warren’s having a great year, knowing this will help him develop. I love his hunger to improve; he’s worked tirelessly, making it a great season so far.”
“The lads have represented the league unbelievably well,” Crawford concluded.
