THEIR FUTURE HAS arrived, its destiny still unknown.
The end of an era did not have a fairytale conclusion for the Republic of Ireland U-21s in 2022.
A penalty shootout defeat to Israel in their European Championship qualification playoff in September brought the curtain down on a journey that did break some boundaries but fell just short of smashing through that glass ceiling.
Ireland’s wait for a first appearance at the tournament goes on, and it will be left to a new, emerging crop to try and do so.
A significant rebuild is now required considering 26 players are no longer eligible for selection.
And one of those who is might just be on the cusp of bigger things, with 18-year-old Evan Ferguson making his senior debut under Stephen Kenny when Norway came to Dublin for a friendly last month.
“The relationships we have built together over the years, it’s because we have been together for so long,” former U-21 captain Conor Coventry says.
“The legacy we wanted to leave was different. We wanted to qualify, we wanted to be the first but hopefully now there will be teams coming up that can go further than us. Hopefully we have helped show them that it can be achieved.”
Coventry, the West Ham United midfielder who made his Premier League debut this season, set an appearance record at U21 level during the course of his time at the age grade.
His 28 caps place him just two ahead of another graduate, Lee O’Connor, whose 78 appearances throughout the underage levels sets him apart from his peers.
“He is a leader, he is reliable. In all of the time I’ve known him I’ve never seen him have a bad game or even a bad five minutes,” Coventry explains.
They were the traits first spotted in O’Connor by Manchester United, where he began his professional journey, before joining Celtic. The defender turns 23 in July and is now attempting to forge a senior career with Tranmere Rovers, currently 15th in League Two.
That is the battle that so many of them now face, including Coventry, who is out of contract at West Ham this summer and has previously impressed on loan with MK Dons during the 2021/22 campaign.
“We have maybe got to a stage where we all sort of know that we are capable of going on to have a career and make some sort of living, but you never really know. We don’t know where it will end up.
“Will any of us ever play together again? We’ve got a bond, but in football you know you might not see much of each other again. People’s lives go in different directions, football can take you to places you never expected at all.”
The unknown now awaits with the past having gone some way to prepare them for what is ahead.
Coventry’s friendship with O’Connor stretches back to U-16 level, when they first represented their country together. London-born with strong Irish connections, Coventry’s ties with goalkeeper Brian Maher and midfielder Gavin Kilkenny also endure from that time.
“Brian and Gav know each other from St Kevin’s and they would go at each other all the time, I would sit back and pick and choose my sides each time. Play the middle ground with them,” Coventry laughs.
“Me and Gav love football. We love Barcelona, tiki taka. We were all supporting Argentina from the start of the World Cup because of Messi.”
Kilkenny is on loan from Bournemouth at Stoke City, where international teammate Will Smallbone is also attempting to reignite his career before retutning to parent club Southampton.
Andy Lyons, who came on the Irish scene at U-18 level, is in a WhatsApp group alongside Coventry, Kilkenny, Maher and Ross Tierney, and that added another layer to their support for Argentina over the last month.
“Andy’s dad is a big Argentina fan and has followed them to World Cups. We were sending photos and videos in to the group non-stop. You watch Messi and sometimes all you can do is laugh at what he does. He makes you smile playing football. You watch him and it’s hard to actually understand how he does what he does.”
That WhatsApp group was also busy during last month’s FAI Cup final, when Maher’s Derry City cruised to victory over Shelbourne. “He had plenty of messages waiting for him afterwards. We were all watching it and commentating on it in the group. I know how much that win meant to him,” Coventry adds.
That’s another indication of the differing paths ahead. Maher, who headed to the Ryan McBride Brandywell from Bray Wanderers, will be viewed as one of the League of Ireland’s most prized possessions.
Lyons’ surge of development at Shamrock Rovers following his transfer from Bohemians saw him snapped up by Blackpool in the Championship – with a debut likely in January.
“He is the funniest, most perceptive person I know,” Coventry says of the Dubliner. Jim [Crawford] could do a 20-minute meeting and Andy would pick up on every word. He can do impressions of everyone, all the staff, the manager. He did one of John O’Shea in front of everyone and we all loved it.”
Joe Redmond arrived late on the U-21s’ scene during the campaign because of injury to others, but is another who has been on the underage scene since U16 level. Formerly of Birmingham City, he was a rock at the heart of the St Patrick’s Athletic defence and had such an impact that he was made captain.
Where his ability and personality could lead will be of significant interest in 2023, with the next 12 months potentially shaping so many futures. For example, Adam O’Reilly was a teammate for club and country last season, spending the season on loan at Richmond Park, but has been told by Preston North End he is free to leave next month.
The pitfalls that come with being full of promise but not quite the finished article.
Only Smallbone and Ferguson earned places in Kenny’s senior squad for the double header of friendlies last month, with Coventry included on the provisional list before being placed on standby.
“I want to be in the senior team. That is what I want to do and I feel like I am a ready as a player.”
Just like the rest of the Class of 2022, Coventry knows now is the time to deliver on the potential that has brought them to this point.
Full list of U21 graduates: Conor Coventry, Lee O’Connor, Brian Maher, Aaron Connolly, Andy Lyons, Eiran Cashin, Jake O’Brien, Joe Redmond, Dawson Devoy, David Odumosu, Will Smallbone, Ross Tierney, Joshua Kayode, Tyreik Wright, Finn Azaz, Adam O’Reilly, Gavin Kilkenny, Oisin McEntee, Mark McGuinness, Luke McNicholas, Colm Whelan, Liam Kerrigan, Conor Noss, Joel Bagan, Will Ferry, David Harrington.
