All you need to know: Republic of Ireland U21 v Italy U21

Under-21 European Championship 2025 qualifying

Republic of Ireland v Italy, Turner's Cross, 5.30pm

TV

Watch live coverage on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player from 5pm.

ONLINE

Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News App.

WEATHER

It should be a dry evening in Cork with temperatures around 8c.

IRELAND PRIMED TO BOUNCE BACK

Ireland Under-21s will be looking to recover from their first defeat of the campaign - against Norway last Friday - when they take on Group A leaders Italy.

Just one point separates the Italians (10) from second-placed Ireland and Norway (both 9) after four games and more than 5,000 fans are expected at the game on Leeside.

In their final home outing of the year, Jim Crawford’s team will be looking to keep up an impressive record that has seen them undefeated on home soil for two years.

Republic of Ireland manager Jim Crawford has no major injury concerns and told RTÉ Sport that he is unconcerned by the argument over whether Blackburn tyro Andrew Moran should have been left in his squad rather than promoted to the senior side.

"A player of Andy Moran's ability, he's always going to be there or thereabouts with the senior team," Crawford said.

"We knew that in the last window when he was called up for the senior team and unfortunately he got injured.

"In one way you're hoping that he stays but for the player himself, and I broke the news to him, he was certainly overjoyed.

"To lose anybody of Andy's quality, any team would feel it, but the bigger picture is it gives players at U21s level an opportunity to show that they can play at this stage.

"It also gives Andy a chance to bed himself into the senior team and I've no doubt he'll play against New Zealand."

Ireland went down 3-2 away to Norway in a closely fight