Eoin Morgan will captain a strong Ireland Under-19 squad to the World Cup finals in Sri Lanka in February. The 14-man panel, which is the nucleus of the team that finished second in the European Championships in Scotland in July, includes four full internationals and two players already on a county contract.

The unfamiliar name is Andrew Poynter who, like the skipper, is a professional at Middlesex. A middle order batsman, who can bowl off spin, Poynter is the nephew of former international opening batsman Deryck Vincent and is the only player in the squad who has not come through the Ireland youth system. Although all his education has been in England, he is an Irish passport holder is currently at college in London. Clontarf are hoping to tempt him back to Dublin for some senior matches next summer.

Apart from Morgan, easily the most experienced player in the squad, the others who have already appeared at senior level are wicket-keeper Gary Wilson, next year's Civil Service North captain, Lisburn leg spinner Greg Thompson and Waringstown slow left armer Gary Kidd.

The one player to miss out after appearing in the European Championships is Bready's Robert Rankin, one of five players to have played in the last World Cup last year, leaving his younger brother, David, one of nine players from Northern Ireland, as the only representative from the North West.

Waringstown and Cliftonville both supply two players with Kidd joined by team-mate James Hall and Richard Stirling, after his very strong club form in August and September, wins a recall to the squad alongside Cliftonville opening batsman Gareth McKee. The other NCU players are Muckamore pace bowler Neil Gill and North Down seamer Gavin McKenna.

Stirling is already overseas, at the Brisbane Academy � he is there until January � and 17 year old Richard Keaveney is also in Australia playing cricket while on an exchange school visit. He is due home after Christmas. The other two members of the squad are Rush wicket-keeper batsman Fintan McAllister (right), who will be a very good reserve to Wilson, if the Irish international is required to bowl, and Niall McDarby of CYM who will be vying to share the new ball.

The squad will play two warm up games against Uganda and Scotland before they open group D with a game against Zimbabwe in Colombo on Sunday February 5.

The other fixtures are against England and Nepal and Ireland's primary objective will be to beat a Test playing nation and qualify for the Super League stages for the first time.

This was nearly achieved last year in Bangladesh (Ireland lost to eventual finalists West Indies by six runs in the group stages), however coach Brian O'Rouke feels that this squad will be more clinical this time round when engaged in close finishes.

"Being involved in the Under-19 set up is a huge learning curve for all the players. At the tournament they will be exposed to a very high standard of cricket, and will play against many young stars of the future from the various Test playing nations," said O'Rourke.

Five of the squad played in last year's World Cup and the experience gained from that tournament (climate, pitches, playing conditions etc.) will prove to be invaluable, and it is hoped that this squad can match the recent positive results achieved by the Irish senior squad.

"No fewer than nine of the squad who travelled to Sri Lanka in 2001 have progressed to play for Ireland at senior level. Our youth system is the envy of many other European countries with more and more players in recent making a successful step up from youth cricket to senior level."

The squad, which leaves Belfast on Friday January 27, is:

• Eoin Morgan (North County/Middlesex) capt
• N Gill (Muckamore)
• J Hall (Waringstown)
• R Keaveney (Merrion)
• G Kidd (Waringstown)
• F McAllister (Rush)
• N McDarby (CYM)
• G McKee (Cliftonville)
• G McKenna (North Down)
• A Poynter (Middlesex)
• D Rankin (Bready)
• R Stirling (Cliftonville)
• G Thompson (Lisburn)
• G Wilson (Civil Service North)
  
  
• Coaches: Brian O'Rourke, Adi Birrell
• Manager: Brian Walsh.