It promises to be a busy pre-season period for Town's first-year Academy scholar Dave Heagney as he has been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-17 training squad on the 23^rd July.

Young striker Heagney, who is one of fourteen first-year scholars with the Academy for the coming season, was capped for Eire at under-16 level recently as they won the Ballymena International Tournament but this will be his first involvement at under-17 level.

The first game of Town's Academy pre-season is on the 24^th July when the under-18s face Carlisle United at Storthes Hall but while his team-mates face their Cumbrian counterparts, Heagney will be in Clonshaugh, Dublin at the AUL Complex for the trial match against Northern Irish side County Down.

Ireland under-17 boss Sean McCaffrey

Republic of Ireland under-17 boss Sean McCaffrey talked to htafc.com today and outlined why he had called up Town's young hitman.

"I came over to watch James Hand and James Berrett in a Huddersfield under-18 match last season and Dave came off the bench in that match. Since that time, he has been involved in Vinnie Butler's under-16 squad and every time I have seen him he has done well. This trial match gives me an ideal opportunity to have a further look at him."

The Republic's under-17s have a got a busy season ahead with a trip to Lithuania in August ahead of the first phase of the European Championships, which starts a month later.

"This trial match is the beginning of our build up to the European Championships in September", Sean added. "It's going to be a busy year for all the boys."