Ireland Under-19 boss Tom Mohan reckons he has bagged a gem by securing the services of Cliftonville attacker Sean Moore.
The 17-year-old, a first-team regular with the NIFL Premiership side, has been capped at underage level for Northern Ireland.
However, he had no hesitation in switching allegiances when he was offered the opportunity to come into Mohan’s set-up.
He has been named in the squad for next week’s European Championship elite qualifiers in Wexford, against Slovakia (Wednesday March 22), Estonia (Saturday March 25) and Greece (Tuesday March 28).
Mohan said: “With Sean, there were no real problems, he was committed to coming.
“We were aware of Sean at the start of the season, but we had no real events because of the World Cup and the international windows.
“We finished up in September so the first opportunity I had to bring Sean in, I took him in.
“He was flying in the Irish League and has done well, Cliftonville are right up there at the top, he's scored key goals in big games, creating chances and has gone from strength to strength.”
Mohan insisted there was no bad blood with the IFA over Moore’s switch.
“Naturally, a good player who is eligible for both countries, they will try hard to get him but thankfully he has come across the line with us,” he said.
“He's a very good player, any young player that can play senior football, Sean is still a 2005 and to go in and play at that level, perform against the teams he has performed against, it speaks volumes for him as a player and as a person too.”
He added: “I was made aware about Sean, he was keen to come and we were keen to get him.
“He's done really well and I am looking forward to having him in camp.
“There were no real problems, players go both ways, no one is breaking any rules, players from the Republic who played for us went to play for the North, we take players from the North, it works both ways, it's not just one-way traffic.”
Only last week, senior Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill urged the attacking player to stick with the North.
“I watched Sean last week in the game against Glentoran and was very impressed with how he played - but you are looking at a young player who has had a handful of games, not even a full season in the Irish League behind him,” he said.
“I think it would be asking a lot to put him into that [senior squad] scenario.
“I think we just need to let this young player enjoy his football and maybe [the press] write a little bit less about him than they have been.
“That's the most important thing: he's a young player, he's doing extremely well.
“I have relatives who are season ticket-holders at Cliftonville and they well me regularly how well he is doing.
“On the occasion I watched him he scored two great goals. I thought he was a threat throughout the game.
“He has been selected for our Under-19 squad which will play in the Elite phase of the tournament, and hopefully he takes up that invitation.”
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Reece Byrne (Bohemians), Owen Mason (Kettering Town, on loan from Mansfield Town)
Defenders: James Abankwah (Udinese), Sam Curtis (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Sean Grehan (Crystal Palace), James Golding (Oxford United), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Harry Nevin (Preston North End), John Ryan (Sassuolo)
Midfielders: Justin Ferizaj (Shamrock Rovers), Oisin Gallagher (Barwell, on loan from Lincoln City), Ed McJannet (Lecce), James McManus (Bohemians), Harry Vaughan (Hull City), Rocco Vata (Celtic)
Forwards: Tommy Lonergan (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Sean Moore (Cliftonville), Mark O’Mahony (Brighton & Hove Albion), Franco Umeh (Crystal Palace), Kevin Zefi (Inter Milan)
MATCHES (all played at Ferrycarrig Park, Wexford, and live on LOI TV)
Wednesday, March 22: Ireland U19 v Slovakia U19 (3.30pm)
Saturday, March 25: Ireland U19 v Estonia U19 (3.30pm)
Tuesday, March 28: Ireland U19 v Greece U19 (7.30pm)
