BRIAN KERR has settled on his 18-strong panel for the World Youth Championships in Malaysia later this month, with three players from National League clubs included.

Shelbourne's Dessie Baker, UCD's Aidan Lynch and Trevor Molloy of Athlone Town, who scored for the Irish in the 2-2 draw with the United Arab Emirates at the weekend, have been included in the squad which is due to head for Malaysia at the start of next week.

Two prominent players have had to be omitted from the panel, David Connolly and Ian Harte, who were made unavailable by Mick McCarthy.

"It is disappointing," said Kerr, "because there are only world cups at three levels, this, senior and under-17 and Ireland have only qualified four times altogether, so chances like this don't come along too often. But that's the decision and we just have to go along with it."

A further blow is the injury to Everton defender Richard Dunne, who is one of four players to be ruled out because of fitness problems. However, Kerr is happy with the way that the rest of his squad have come through their preparations and he is hopeful that they can perform well in what will be very humid conditions.

Ireland's first match is against Ghana, the under-17 world champions two years ago, with the USA, who beat an underage National League side earlier in the year, to follow two days later on June 19th.

China, an unknown quantity for Kerr, provide the opposition in the remaining game on June 22nd.