Sean Patton receives a first call-up for Ireland Under-21s

Sean Patton has earned a first call-up to the Republic of Ireland Under-21s for their upcoming UEFA European Championship qualifiers.

The Drumkeen native has been selected for Jim Crawford’s side for the matches against Moldova and Kazakhstan at the end of the month.

Patton has risen to prominence in recent months, impressing for the Reading Under-21s before going on loan to National League side Aldershot, scoring five times in six games before being recalled to the League One outfit.

The 19-year-old made his first league start for Reading on Tuesday night in their 2-1 win over Burton Albion.

A former student at St Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Patton has previously represented his country at Under-19 level.

Ireland take on Moldova on Thursday, 26 March at Tallaght Stadium, before heading to Kazakhstan the following Tuesday.

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Back in November, Crawford's side slumped to a 4-0 loss in Andorra, having previously put in a spirited display in a 2-0 defeat to table-toppers England.

Ireland are third in the six-team Group D, six points behind second-placed Slovakia but with a game in hand.

The nine group winners and the best runner-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) qualify directly for the tournament. The remaining eight runners-up head for the play-offs.

Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad

Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Reims), Aaron Maguire (Hampton & Richmond Borough, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Conor Walsh (Shelbourne).

Defenders: Sam Curtis (Chesterfield), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), Conor McManus (Brentford), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Cory O’Sullivan (Shamrock Rovers), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Gabriel Otegbayo (Sheffield Wednesday).

Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Colchester United, on loan from Southampton), Jacob Devaney (St Mirren, on loan from Manchester United), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City),Jack Moorhouse (Manchester United), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Aaron Ochoa Moloney (Malaga).

Forwards: Leon Ayinde (Ipswich Town), Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers), Trent Kone Doherty (Molde), Tommy Lonergan (Waterford), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Sean Patton (Reading), Jaden Umeh (Benfica).

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers (Group D)

Thursday 26 March 26: Republic of Ireland v Moldova, Tallaght Stadium, 5.15pm

Tuesday 31 March: Kazakhstan v Republic of Ireland, Turkestan Arena, 3pm (Irish time)