Republic of Ireland national futsal team

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Republic of Ireland
Nickname(s)The Boys in Green
AssociationFootball Association of Ireland
ImIreland Futsal Union
ConfederationUEFA
FEF
Head coachDerek O'Neill
Asst coachStephen Finn
Gleudson Junior Da Silva
Home stadiumNational Basketball Arena
FIFA codeIRL
Home colours
Away colours
First international
 Ireland 4–1 Belgium 
(Rome, Italy; 16 July 1983)
Biggest win
 Ireland 7–2 England 
(Rome, Italy; 18 July 1983)
Biggest defeat
 Ireland 2–8 Finland 
(Jyväskylä, Finland; 14 December 2010)
World Cup
Appearances0
UEFA Futsal Championship
Appearances0

The Republic of Ireland national futsal team has represented the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Futsal Championship. The Republic of Ireland has, to date, never qualified for the final stages of a major tournament. It has, however, taken part in several invitational tournaments, such as the 2008 Four Nations Futsal Cup. It is organised by the Football Association of Ireland.

History[edit]

Early years[edit]

The Republic of Ireland national futsal team have been active since at least 1983. In July 1983, in Rome, they competed in a six team nations tournament. After defeating Belgium and losing to Czechoslovakia in the group stage, the Republic of Ireland defeated England 7–2 in a third/fourth place play-off. The other participants included Scotland and the eventual winners, Italy.[1] In June 2001 they played a series of friendlies against Scotland and in February 2002 they hosted the Masita Cup tournament at St Columba's College, Dublin. Other participants in this tournament included Scotland, Northern Ireland and Tranmere Victoria, a club side that represented England. In October 2002 they also competed in the British Isles Nations Futsal Cup in Chester. The other participants in this competition included Tranmere Victoria, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. During this latter tournament the team was managed by Derek O'Neill, the FAI's futsal co-ordinator, and coached by Stephen Finn.[2][3][4]

Revival[edit]

In 2007 the national team was revived, initially playing as an U21 team and selecting players from the Eircom U21 Futsal League. In December 2007 a Republic of Ireland U21 squad featuring Dane Massey, Gary McCabe and Ciarán Kilduff travelled to Portugal and played two friendlies against Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.[5][6][7] In April 2008 the Republic of Ireland U21s also competed in the UEFA Futsal Under-21 Championship, travelling to Andorra la Vella to compete in a qualifying tournament against Andorra, the Netherlands and Azerbaijan. The squad again included Dane Massey. In preparation for the tournament the team played a friendly against an FC Barcelona B team, defeating them 2–0. In the tournament itself, the Republic of Ireland defeated Azerbaijan 4–3 and finished third.[8][9][10]

In December 2008 the senior team was revived with two friendlies against Hungary. The squad included Thomas Morgan, Gary McCabe and Dane Massey.[7] In the first game, which was screened live on Hungarian television, the Republic lost 4–1.[11] Later in the same month, together with Lithuania, Libya and England, the Republic of Ireland also competed in the 2008 Four Nations Futsal Cup. The Republic, with a squad that included Dane Massey and Thomas Morgan, held England to a 3–3 draw.[6][12][13]

UEFA Futsal Championship[edit]

The Republic of Ireland has competed in the qualifying stages of the UEFA Futsal Championship twice during the 2010s.[14] In February 2009 with a squad that included Thomas Morgan, Gary McCabe and Dane Massey, the Republic of Ireland played against Cyprus, England and Kazakhstan in a 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship preliminary group qualifying tournament. The Republic of Ireland also acted as hosts and all six group games were played at the National Basketball Arena. The Republic lost to both Cyprus and Kazakhstan, either side of a 2–0 win against England.[15][16][17] The Republic's scorers against England were Lloyd Massey, the brother of Dane, and Philip McDonagh.[18] In January 2011 the Republic of Ireland played against Andorra, Norway and Israel in a UEFA Futsal Euro 2012 preliminary group qualifying tournament. This tournament saw the Massey brothers, Dane and Lloyd, take part together in a third UEFA Futsal qualifying tournament. Once again the Republic of Ireland acted as hosts and all six group games were again played at the National Basketball Arena. On this occasion the Republic of Ireland lost all three of their games.[19][20][21][22]

DiaEuro Futsal[edit]

In recent times, the Republic of Ireland have been represented by the DiaEuro futsal squad; the national team for players with diabetes. The team was founded by Cathal Fleming in 2018 and have gone on to represent the nation at the 2019 DiaEuro futsal championships in Kiev.[23]

Record
UEFA Futsal Championship
Year Round Pld W D L GS GA
1996 did not enter - - - - - -
1999 did not enter - - - - - -
2001 did not enter - - - - - -
2003 did not enter - - - - - -
2005 did not enter - - - - - -
2007 did not enter - - - - - -
2010 Preliminary round 3 1 0 2 2 7
2012 Preliminary round 3 0 0 3 1 10
2014 did not enter - - - - - -
2016 did not enter - - - - - -
2018 did not enter - - - - - -
2022 did not enter - - - - - -
2026 TBD - - - - - -
Total 0/13 - - - - - -

Source:[16][17][20][22]

Last qualifying campaign[edit]

UEFA Futsal Euro 2012[edit]

Main article: UEFA Futsal Euro 2012 qualifying
Group F – Final table
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Norway 3 3 0 0 19 6 13 9
 Andorra 3 2 0 1 9 9 0 6
 Israel 3 1 0 2 7 11 −4 3
Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland 3 0 0 3 1 10 −9 0
Matches
20 January 2011 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier[24] Republic of Ireland 1–2  Andorra National Basketball Arena
20.00 Report
21 January 2011 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier Republic of Ireland 0–5  Norway National Basketball Arena
Report Klaussen 9'
Johnsen 16'
Sortevik 29'
Ravlo ?'
L. Jonvik ?'
23 January 2011 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland 0–3  Israel National Basketball Arena
20.00 Report

Source:[20][22]

Notable players[edit]

2011 squad[edit]

The squad selected for the UEFA Futsal Euro 2012 qualifying tournament in January 2011

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Club
1 1GK John Somers Shamrock Rovers
2 2DF Mark Langtry Sporting Fingal/UCD
3 2DF Ian Byrne Shamrock Rovers
4 2DF Philip McDonagh Shamrock Rovers/Drumcondra
5 2DF Ross Zambra Sporting Fingal/Wayside Celtic
6 3MF Dane Massey (1988-04-07) 7 April 1988 (age 36) Bray Wanderers
7 3MF Lloyd Massey Blue Magic Futsal
8 3MF Alan McCabe AUL Futsal/Sheriff Y.C.
9 4FW Alan Lynch Shamrock Rovers
10 4FW Jack Doyle Shamrock Rovers
11 1GK Ian Carry Sporting Fingal
12 4FW Tony Kane AUL Futsal/Sheriff Y.C.
13 4FW Cian McDonald Shamrock Rovers
14 4FW Brendan Dawson Shamrock Rovers

Source:[19][25]

League of Ireland Premier Division players[edit]

Results and fixtures[edit]

Main article: List of Republic of Ireland national futsal team matches

References[edit]

  1. ^ ""4 NATIONS CUP" Matches List". www.futsalplanet.com. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Scottish Futsal League – Scottish Amateur FA Futsal Select team". www.uefa.com. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News". www.futsalplanet.com. 2 January 2002. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  4. ^ "British Isles Nations Futsal Cup 2002". www.futsalplanet.com. 20 October 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Irish Under 21 Futsal Squad Announced for Friendlies against Benfica and Sporting Lisbon". www.futsalplanet.com. 16 November 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Stephen Finn". ie.linkedin.com. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Squad for historic Futsal match announced". www.futsalplanet.com. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Republic of Ireland Under-21 Futsal squad announced". www.futsalplanet.com. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  9. ^ "UEFA Under 21 Futsal Tournament". www.futsalplanet.com. 13 April 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  10. ^ "European U-21 Futsal Tournament 2008". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Impressive Ireland make Futsal Senior Debut". www.futsalplanet.com. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Republic ready for futsal challenge". www.rte.ie. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  13. ^ "4 Nations Cup - Loughborough 2008". www.futsalplanet.com. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  14. ^ "Republic of Ireland - Futsal". www.uefa.com. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  15. ^ "Ireland Futsal Squad Announced". www.shamrockrovers.ie. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  16. ^ a b "European Futsal Championship 2010". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  17. ^ a b "6th UEFA Futsal Championship - Hungary 2010". www.futsalplanet.com. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  18. ^ "England suffer 2-0 loss at hands of stunning Irish futsal display". www.futsalplanet.com. 20 February 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  19. ^ a b "O'Neill names Futsal squad for UEFA qualifiers". www.fai.ie. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  20. ^ a b c "European Futsal Championship 2012". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Fingal futsal inspires Ireland". www.uefa.com. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  22. ^ a b c "UEFA Futsal Championship - Croatia 2012 Qualifiers". www.futsalplanet.com. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  23. ^ Doggett, Eamon (29 April 2019). "Ireland to have first team competing in European championships for diabetics". irishmirror. Retrieved 11 June 2020.

    New Era[edit]

    In the Summer of 2020, Ireland Futsal Union was launched as the governing body for AMF futsal in Ireland. The body aims to be the sole governing body of Futsal in Republic of Ireland. This will be done by promoting the Ireland Futsal Union Cup as the main competition. The winners of the IFU cup will book their place in the FEF Champions cup. Irish national players will also be selected from the IFU cup.

  24. ^ "Republic of Ireland v Andorra - UEFA Futsal EURO 2011/12 Preliminary Round - Group F Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  25. ^ "O'Neill names Futsal squad for UEFA qualifiers". www.futsalplanet.com. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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