The FAI has confirmed the lineup of games for the quarter-final stages of the eircom League Cup, which is due to be played on Tuesday, October 5th. Finn Harps against Derry City in Ballybofey is the game of the round with Drogheda United at home to Athlone Town, Bray Wanderers against Shamrock Rovers and Rockmount's trip to Waterford United completing the draw.
The association has also indicated that it will seek to arrange a friendly senior international game for mid-November if Mick McCarthy's side finish either first or third in Group Eight qualifiers and are not, therefore, involved in the play-off games. It is hoped that the match, against as yet unnamed opposition, will take place on one of the two dates set aside by UEFA.
Brian Kerr, meanwhile, has named a squad of 25 players for the friendly international against Belgium at United Park next week. The Belgians come to Drogheda on Tuesday night and Kerr has used the opportunity to gather a strong under-16 panel with many of the players that took part in the European Youth Olympics in Denmark involved again.
Ireland's qualifying games for the European Championship will be played in October when the Republic will be up against Sweden, Switzerland and Wales for a place in the finals.
Squad: Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa), David Moran (Manchester Utd), Brian Murphy (Waterford Bohemians); Larry Farren (Leeds Utd), Graham Gartland (Home Farm), Joe Kendrick (Newcastle Utd), Stephen Kelly (Belvedere), Anthony Martin (Blackburn), Paddy McCarthy (Manchester City), David Nash (Home Farm), Mark Rossiter (Sunderland); Stephen Brennan (Newcastle Utd), Andrew Burke (Tottenham), Stephen Capper (Sunderland), Keith Fahey (Arsenal), Michael Foley (Liverpool), Brian Mooney (Belvedere), George Snee (Tottenham), Graham Ward (Wolves); Jonathon Daly (Stockport), Paul Fenton (Notts Forest), Keith Graydon (Sunderland), David Murphy (Celtic), John Neeley (Belvedere), Anthony O'Shea (Notts Forest).
