Four Town players have been named in the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for a tournament in Madeira later this month. Keeper Shane Supple, defender Michael Synnott, midfielder Owen Garvan and striker Billy Clarke are all in Don Givens's 20-man party.

The Irish youngsters will play Slovakia on February 27th, a Madeira side a day later and Portugal on March 2nd in a competition they won last year.

Givens is treating the tournament as a preparation for UEFA European Championship qualification group games against England, Portugal, Bulgaria and Montenegro played between June 2007 and September 2008. The winners of the 10 groups plus the four best runners-up got through to the finals in Sweden in 2009.

None of the four Town players has previously won an U21 cap, although Billy Clarke received a call earlier in the season but was withdrawn due to a clash with domestic fixtures.

Republic of Ireland U21s: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Shane Supple (Ipswich Town), Tony Kane (Blackburn Rovers), Joe O'Cearuill (Brighton and Hove Albion), Darren O'Dea (Glasgow Celtic), Conor Powell (Bohemians), Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Ryan O'Leary (Kilmarnock), Michael Synnott (Ipswich Town), James O'Brien (Dunfermline), Darron Gibson (Royal Antwerp), Stephen Quinn (Sheffield United), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Ian Morris (Scunthorpe United), John Paul Kelly (Bohemians), Chris McCann (Burnley), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Adam Rooney (Stoke City), Jonathan Hayes (Milton Keynes Dons).

Photo: Action Images

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