Ireland Will Boast a Fresh-Looking Squad Against Grenada
Despite Heimar Hallgrimmson’s Republic of Ireland failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after losing to Czechia in March, Irish fans will see a fresh squad head to Spain for a training camp where they will face Grenada in the Enrique Rocca in Murcia on Saturday, the 16th of May, with several uncapped players announced in the squad.
There are 7 first-time call-ups to the squad. They include Leyton Orient Goalkeeper Ollie Cahill, Sheffield Wednesday’s Tayo Ardmalo, Cardiff City’s Joel Bagan, Blackburn’s Eiran Cashin, Oxford’s Aidomo Emaku, Lincoln’s Jack Moylan, and Benfica’s Jaden Umeh. It will be significantly interesting to see how these players play, should they get game time in the summer friendly.
9 of the players in this squad have progressed to the English Leagues from Ireland’s National League, “The League of Ireland”. Chio Ogbene and Umeh played for Cork City FC, Andrew Moran played for Bray Wanderers, James Abankwah lifted the FAI Cup with St Patrick’s Athletic, Jason Knight played for Cabinteely (now a youth side), Josh Keely also played for Pats, (the Goalkeeper showed potential in past U21 Ireland games), Cahill and Emakhu played for Current League of Ireland Champions, Shamrock Rovers and Moylan played for Shelbourne.
There is certainly a good look for the League of Ireland in this squad in terms of producing future international prospects. In particular, Jaden Umeh looks to be the most exciting player in this squad. Umeh progressed through the Cork City FC academy. The academy at the Munster club is noted for producing a standard of players, players such as Shane Long, Jake O’Brien, David Meyler and Alan Browne are some of the names that came through the academy as well as current Cork City player, Cillian Murphy who is playing regularly for 90 minutes at the age of 16 for Cork City’s senior team and may well be a prospect for the future.
Umeh was impressed by Benfica’s U19 side, which gave him a deserved international senior call-up. It is exciting to see such a fresh squad of Irish players heading to Spain, with some of the players hoping to put on the green jersey at senior level for the first time.
While the Boys in Green will have to wait til the 2030 World Cup qualifying stages to bid to get to a first World Cup since 2002. Hallgrimmson’s side will face Grenada, Qatar, and Canada in the Summer Months before their Autumn UEFA Nations League Campaign.
Grenada is a small nation ranked 163rd in the FIFA World Rankings that has not won a game since November 2025 (according to FotMob). Ellis Lehane, a striker playing at Tottenham Hotspur’s U18 side, may feature in this friendly. The fresh-looking Republic of Ireland Squad to embark on a training camp in Spain and to play Grenada is in full below.
The Republic of Ireland squad travelling to Spain
Goalkeepers: Max O’Leary (West Bromwich Albion), Josh Keeley (Luton Town), Killian Cahill (Leyton Orient).
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Defenders: Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Eiran Cashin (Blackburn Rovers – loan), James Abankwah (Watford), Mark McGuinness (Sheffield United), Tayo Adaramola (Sheffield Wednesday – loan), Joel Bagan (Cardiff City).
Midfielders: Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Andrew Moran (Preston North End).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Swansea City), Tom Cannon (Sheffield United), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United – loan), Kasey McAteer (Ipswich Town), Millenic Alli (Portsmouth), Jack Moylan (Lincoln City), Aidomo Emakhu (Oxford United), Jaden Umeh (Benfica).
By: Scott Buckley / @ScottBuckley35
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile