Cairns and Quinn called up, as Ireland forced to make two changes for FIBA EuroBasket games

Keelan Cairns and Conor Quinn have been called up to the Ireland senior men’s squad for this week’s FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers, replacing the injured Eoin Quigley and Ciaran Roe. Quigley picked up an ankle knock playing for his club Garvey’s Tralee Warriors at the weekend, while Roe injured his hamstring at Ireland training on Tuesday morning.

Cairns joined up with the squad on Monday evening, and trained with the team on Tuesday. The Tradehouse Central Ballincollig player is in line for his first international appearance since 2019, when he featured in friendlies against Slovakia and Luxembourg. He also played in the 2016 and 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries.

“I saw the work the lads did over the summer and the last international break, let's hope we can carry on from where they left us off. A couple of years have passed (since my last appearance) and I've gone from being the young guy to being the older guy, it's just bringing that experience and helping where I can, and like I said before, just carry on from where they took us in the summer. It's the highest heights we've reached in a long time, so I'm just happy to be a part of that." - Keelan Cairns

Belfast Star’s Conor Quinn will link up with the Ireland squad on Tuesday night. Quinn was part of the Ireland training squad ahead of the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries last summer and has been part of the extended panel for FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers. He played for Ireland at the 2016 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries.  

“I am delighted to to get the call up to the team. It’s always a pleasure to put on the green jersey, especially at the senior level. I can’t wait to get to work with the lads.” - Conor Quinn

 File shot of Conor Quinn at the announcement of Ulster University as a Basketball Ireland Centre of Excellence

Purchase tickets for Ireland v Cyprus here.

“It’s obviously disappointing for Eoin and Ciaran, both were important players for us in the November window, but injuries are part and parcel of the game. We’ve been building squad depth, Keelan (Cairns) and Conor (Quinn) have been involved with the extended squad. Keelan trained with us today and has slotted in seamlessly into the set-up and Conor will join up with the squad in the coming hours.” - Mark Keenan, Ireland head coach

Ireland fly to Switzerland on Wednesday morning, ahead of their game against the Swiss in Fribourg on Thursday. They also face Cyprus at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday.

Ireland started their FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers campaign last November with a 81-73 win over Cyprus in Nicosia, followed by a 97-70 home defeat against Austria.  

Both of Ireland’s FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers games this month will be streamed live on the Ireland.basketball website and YouTube, starting with their away game against Switzerland on February 24^th, where Matt Hall will be joined in commentary by former Ireland senior men’s captain Jason Killeen. Matt Hall will be on commentary duty once more for Sunday’s game against Cyprus, with Ireland U16 men’s head coach Pat Price on co-commentary duty.

Ireland senior men’s squad:

Kyle Hosford (UCC Demons), Conor Quinn (Belfast Star), Sean Flood (Omonia Nicosia), Adrian O’Sullivan (Tradehouse Central Ballincollig), Cian Heaphy (C&S Neptune), Roy Downey (C&S Neptune), Lorcan Murphy (Griffith College Templeogue), Keelan Cairns (Tradehouse Central Ballincollig), Taiwo Badmus (U.M.F Tindastoll Sauoarkrokur), Jordan Blount (UMF Sindri Hofn), John Carroll (Albacete), James Gormley (Baloncestro Aguimes)

February Fixtures:

FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers First Round

24^th February 2022

Switzerland v Ireland 1830, Site Sportif Saint-Leonard, Fribourg (Streamed live on Ireland.basketball and YouTube)

27^th February 2022

Ireland v Cyprus, 1700, National Basketball Arena, Dublin (Streamed live on Ireland.basketball and YouTube). Purchase tickets here.