. ▁The ▁other ▁participants ▁in ▁this ▁competition ▁included ▁T ran m ere ▁Victoria , ▁Scotland , ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁and ▁ ▁Gib ral tar . ▁During ▁this ▁latter ▁tournament ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁D erek ▁O ' Ne ill , ▁the ▁FA I ' s ▁fut sal ▁co - ordin ator , ▁and ▁co ached ▁by ▁Stephen ▁Finn . ▁ ▁Rev ival ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁national ▁team ▁was ▁rev ived , ▁initially ▁playing ▁as ▁an ▁U 2 1 ▁team ▁and ▁selecting ▁players ▁from ▁the ▁E ir com ▁U 2 1 ▁F uts al ▁League . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁a ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland ▁U 2 1 ▁squad ▁featuring ▁D ane ▁M asse y , ▁Gary ▁McC abe ▁and ▁C iar án ▁Kil du ff ▁travel led ▁to ▁Portugal ▁and ▁played ▁two ▁friend lies ▁against ▁Ben fica ▁and ▁Sport ing ▁Lis bon . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland ▁U 2 1 s ▁also ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁UEFA ▁F uts al ▁Under - 2 1 ▁Championship , ▁trav elling ▁to ▁And or ra ▁la ▁V ella ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁a ▁qual ifying ▁tournament ▁against ▁And or ra , ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁and ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁The ▁squad ▁again ▁included ▁D ane ▁M asse y . ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁tournament ▁the ▁team ▁played ▁a ▁friendly ▁against ▁an ▁FC ▁Barcelona ▁B ▁team , ▁defe ating ▁them ▁ 2 – 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁tournament ▁itself , ▁the ▁Republic