UEFA U-19 PLAY-OFF: Keeping the tie alive for the second leg in Cork next month is the priority for Brian Kerr's Republic of Ireland under-19s when they face Holland at the Excelsior Stadium, Rotterdam tonight (kick-off 6.30).
Having finished third at the under-16 finals in Israel two years ago when Ireland went out tamely after the group stage, the Dutch are firm favourites to win through to the finals in Norway in July. But, despite the absence through injury of several key players, Stephen Brennan and Michael Foley chief among them, Kerr believes his side has matured sufficiently since to stand a reasonable chance of causing an upset.
As usual, Kerr has done his homework on tonight's opponents, who Ireland meet for the first time under his guidance. "We've watched tapes of Holland. They beat France 2-1 to get through to this. The squad they used in France had nine of next year's squad involved so they must fancy them a lot. Keeping the tie alive is what we have to do to give ourselves a chance in the second leg in Cork."
Due to his absentees, Kerr must rejig his side. Mark Rossiter is likely to captain the side from right back while Ian Simpemba is set to come into midfield alongside Sean Thornton and Graham Ward.
Having scored four goals in the group games in November, striker Jonathan Daly is the man the Dutch will fear.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (probable): Murphy (Manchester City); Rossiter (Sunderland), Paisley (Manchester City), McCarthy (Manchester City), Capper (Sunderland); Simpemba (Wycombe Wanderers), Thornton (Tranmere Rovers), Ward (Wolverhampton); Gethins (Ross County), Daly (Stockport County), Deane (Charlton Athletic).
