Republic of Ireland national futsal team

{{Infobox National futsal team | Name = Republic of Ireland | Badge = | Badge size = 130px | Nickname = The Boys in Green | Association's = [[Football Association of Ireland]

                       [Ireland Futsal Union]] 

| Confederation's = [[UEFA] [FEF]] | Coach = Derek O'Neill | Asst Manager = Stephen Finn
Gleudson Junior Da Silva | Captain = | Most caps = | Top scorer = | Home Stadium = National Basketball Arena | FIFA Trigramme = IRL | FIFA Rank = Unranked [1] | FIFA max = | FIFA max date = | FIFA min = | FIFA min date = | pattern_la1 = _whiteborder | pattern_b1 = _irelandh2010 | pattern_ra1 = _whiteborder | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = _5_hoops_on_white | leftarm1 = 076f24 | body1 = 076f24 | rightarm1 = 076f24 | shorts1 = FFFFFF | socks1 = 076f24 | pattern_la2 = _borderonwhite | pattern_b2 = _irelanda2010 | pattern_ra2 = _borderonwhite | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = _5_hoops_white | leftarm2 = 076f24 | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = 076f24 | shorts2 = 076f24 | socks2 = 076f24 | First game = Republic of Ireland 4–1 Belgium 
(Rome, Italy; 16 July 1983) | Largest win = Republic of Ireland 7–2 England 
(Rome, Italy; 18 July 1983) | Largest loss = Republic of Ireland 2–8 Finland 
(Jyväskylä, Finland; 14 December 2010) | World cup apps = 0 | World cup first = | World cup best = | Regional name = UEFA Futsal Championship | Regional cup apps = 0 | Regional cup first = | Regional cup best = }}

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

Early years

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. [2] 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. [3][4][5]

Revival

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. [6][7][8] 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. [9][10][11]

In December 2008 the senior team was revived with two friendlies against Hungary. The squad included Thomas Morgan, Gary McCabe and Dane Massey. [8] In the first game, which was screened live on Hungarian television, the Republic lost 4–1. [12] 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. [7][13][14]

UEFA Futsal Championship

The Republic of Ireland has competed in the qualifying stages of the UEFA Futsal Championship twice during the 2010s. [15] 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. [16][17][18] The Republic's scorers against England were Lloyd Massey, the brother of Dane, and Philip McDonagh. [19] 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. [20][21][22][23]

DiaEuro Futsal

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. [24]

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	TBD	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	0/11	-	-	-	-	-	-

Source:[17][18][21][23]

Last qualifying campaign

UEFA Futsal Euro 2012

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	3	0	0	3	1	10	-9	0

Matches

20 January 2011	Republic of Ireland	1–2	Andorra	National Basketball Arena 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier [25]
20.00		Report

21 January 2011	Republic of Ireland	0–5	Norway	National Basketball Arena 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier
		Report	Klaussen  9' Johnsen  16' Sortevik  29' Ravlo  ?' L. Jonvik  ?'

23 January 2011	Republic of Ireland	0–3	Israel	National Basketball Arena 2012 UEFA Futsal qualifier
20.00		Report

Source:[21][23]

Notable players

2011 squad

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

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

Source:[20][26]

League of Ireland Premier Division players

• Dane Massey
• Gary McCabe
• Thomas Morgan

Results and fixtures

References

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

    New Era

    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 seleceted from the IFU cup.
25. "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.
26. "O'Neill names Futsal squad for UEFA qualifiers". www.futsalplanet.com. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2017.