Ireland's Under-21s will face Italy, Sweden and Luxembourg for the second campaign running as they attempt to qualify for Euro 2023.
At the draw in Switzerland today, Jim Crawford’s charges were paired with Italy, Sweden, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Luxembourg in Group F.
Italy topped the recent Euro 2021 qualifying group ahead of Iceland and Ireland, with Sweden in fourth place and Luxembourg bottom of the group.
Ireland - who started that campaign with Stephen Kenny as manager - were in a strong position to qualify before blowing it.
The 2-0 defeat to Italy in October was a setback but qualification hopes died after a 2-1 home defeat to Iceland in November.
That left Crawford's charges cut adrift of table-toppers Italy and second-placed Iceland who both qualified for the finals which take place in March and June this year.
But Ireland had Sweden’s measure winning 3-1 away from home, before a comprehensive 4-1 win in Tallaght - both under Kenny.
The Euro 2023 campaign begins in March and runs to June 2022 with fixtures still to be confirmed by UEFA.
Gavin Bazunu, Brian Maher, Nathan Collins, Lee O’Connor, Mark McGuinness, Conor Coventry, Luca Connell, Will Ferry, Troy Parrott, Michael Obafemi, Jonathan Afolabi, JJ Kayode, Ryan Cassidy are all still eligible for the new campaign.
And so too are senior stars Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah and Jason Knight along with Will Smallbone, Conor Noss, Joe Hodge.
