Conor McManus earns Republic of Ireland Under-21 call-up

McManus, who has been a regular in Ireland's U21 squads in the past, made six appearances and scored twice after being called up from his club duties at Brentford. But this represents his first call-up since joining Gillingham, with the 22-year-old still eligible for U21 action.

McManus will join up with the squad that travels to take on Slovakia in Kosice on Friday, September 25, before back-to-back Tuesday night games at the Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium, where they'll face Kazakhstan on September 29, then England on October 6.

It's just reward for McManus' early appearances for the Gills this season. Initially deployed as a substitute, McManus came into the starting XI following the season-ending injury to Kadeem Harris at Fleetwood, and he slotted into the left wing-back position like he's played there for years, marauding down the left flank to support the attack while showing his strong defensive qualities in front of his own goal.

He also marked the occasion of his first Gills home start with his first goal for the club as he netted Gillingham's first league goal of the campaign in the 1-1 home draw with Northampton Town.

McManus' call-up means Gillingham will have to do without his services in our away game at York City and our home match with Newport County before he eventually returns to the squad ahead of the team's visit to Rotherham United on October 10.

Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Royal Francs Borains), Marcus Gill (Celtic), Owen Mason (Bromley).

Defenders: Sam Curtis (Cambridge United, on loan from Sheffield United), Seán Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Cathal McCarthy (Kilmarnock, on loan from Hull City), Conor McManus (Gillingham), Alex Murphy (1. FC Kaiserslautern, on loan from Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United).

Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers), Jacob Devaney (Hibernian, on loan from Manchester United), Rory Finneran (Notts County, on loan from Newcastle United), Darius Lipsiuc (Notts County), Oísin Gallagher (Barnet, on loan from Lincoln City), Grady McDonnell (Nottingham Forest), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers).

Forwards: Leon Ayinde (Doncaster Rovers), Trent Kone-Doherty (Molde FK), Tommy Lonergan (Waterford), Kian McMahon Brown (Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Burnley), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers).