Limerick teenager John Ryan in Rep of Ireland U16 squad for Aegean Cup

TALENTED Limerick teenager John Ryan has been included in the 20-strong Rep of Ireland U16 squad for a friendly tournament in Turkey this week.

The Under-16 side will face Tanzania in their opening game this Wednesday in the Aegean Cup, before facing hosts Turkey and Kosovo and later competing in a play-off game on Tuesday, January 21.

Castletroy's John Ryan has already featured for the Rep of Ireland this season in the Victory Shield competition in Wales

Castletroy College student Ryan made nine appearances for the Rep of Ireland U-15s last season, since making his debut for the side in Poland last November.

In addition, he has featured in another double header away to Cyprus and a four-team tournament in Spain against the host nation, Holland and Hungary, the latter as captain of his country, as well as back-to-back fixtures against the Czech Republic in April.

Ryan initially played his schoolboy soccer locally with Aisling Annacotty.

In 2017, he joined St Kevin’s Boys, of Dublin. At the start of last  year, the highly rated teenager signed for Shamrock Rovers.

The versatile Ryan, who also played GAA with Monaleen, is a past pupil of Milford NS and Gaelscoil Castletroy.

 
Republic of Ireland U16 Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jack Ross (Bray Wanderers), Reece Byrne (Bohemians)
Defenders: John Ryan (Shamrock Rovers), Gerard Killane (St Patrick’s Athletic), Darragh Reilly (Sligo Rovers), James Abankwah (St Patrick’s Athletic), Aaron O’Reilly (St Patrick’s Athletic), Conor Barrett (Birmingham City), Sean Grehan (Bohemians), Harry Nevin (Cork City)
Midfielders: Glory Nzingo (St Patrick’s Athletic), Jamie Mullins (Bohemians), Zayd Abada (Shamrock Rovers), Ben Curtis (Shamrock Rovers), John Joe Power (Burton Albion)
Forwards: Cian Kelly Caprani (Bohemians), Tom Lonergan (St Patrick’s Athletic), Dara McGuinness (Shamrock Rovers), Edwin Agbaje (Shamrock Rovers), Jack O’Reilly (St Patrick’s Athletic)
 
Fixtures:
January 15 – Ireland v Tanzania, Altinordu Gündüz Teki̇n Onay Sahasi, Turkey, KO 9am (Irish time)
January 17 – Turkey v Ireland, Altinordu Serpi̇l Hamdi̇ Tüzün Sahasi, Turkey, KO 11.30am (Irish time)
January 19 – Ireland v Kosovo, Altinordu Gündüz Teki̇n Onay Sahasi, Turkey, KO 9am (Irish time)
January 21 – Playoff Fixture, venue TBC, KO 9am (Irish time) / Final, Altinordu Serpi̇l Hamdi̇ Tüzün Sahasi, Turkey, KO 11.30am (Irish time)