Ronan Boyce has been rewarded for his brilliant breakthrough season at Derry City with a Republic of Ireland under-21 call-up.

Irish boss Jim Crawford has selected the 20-year-old right-back to replace Cardiff City’s Mark McGuinness, who is injured.

Boyce, who also play on the wing, in defensive midfield, and at centre-back, has made 23 appearances in his first full season in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division - scoring six goals.

He will meet up with the Irish squad in Reading in England before the team fly to Bosnia on Tuesday.

The young Boys in Green will play Bosnia & Herzegovina on Friday at 3.30pm (Irish time) in their first qualifier of the UEFA Under-21 European Championship.

30 May 2021; Republic of Ireland assistant manager John O'Shea and Mark McGuinness during the U21 international friendly match between Switzerland and Republic of Ireland at Dama de Noche Football Centre in Marbella, Spain. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

McGuinness had only returned to Cardiff City’s squad on Saturday having been ruled out for a number of weeks through injury.

Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad 

Goalkeepers: Sam Blair (Bury Town, on loan from Norwich City), Brian Maher (Bray Wanderers), Daniel Rose (Schalke 04).

Defenders: Joel Bagan (Cardiff City), Ronan Boyce (Derry City), Andy Lyons (Bohemians), Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (Wolfsburg), Oisin McEntee (Newcastle United), Jake O’Brien (Crystal Palace), Lee O’Connor (Celtic).

Midfielders: Conor Coventry (West Ham United),  Dawson Devoy (Bohemians), Ryan Johansson (Fortuna Sittard, on loan from Sevilla), Gavin Kilkenny (Bournemouth), Andrew Moran (Brighton and Hove Albion), Conor Noss (Borussia Möchengladbach), Ross Tierney (Bohemians), Louie Watson (Derby County).

Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Will Ferry (Crawley Town, on loan from Southampton), Joshua ‘JJ’ Kayode (Rotherham United), Ollie O’Neill (Fulham), Colm Whelan (UCD), Tyreik Wright (Salford City, on loan from Aston Villa).

Fixtures - UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers (all times are Irish times) 

Friday, September 3 | Bosnia & Herzegovina U21 v Republic of Ireland U21, FF BH Football Training Centre,  Zenica, Bosnia & Herzegovina, KO: 3.30pm

Tuesday, September 7 | Luxembourg U21 v Republic of Ireland U21, Stade Jos Nosbaum, Dudelange, Luxembourg, KO: 3pm

LOI | Bohemians goalkeeper James Talbot has been drafted into the Republic of Ireland squad