Ireland's Under-20 men have never finished higher at a European Championship. They took fifth in Division B in Bratislava with a 5–2 record, the Eagles' Tommy Walsh as head coach and Darragh Horkan in the side.
The FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division B ran from 10 to 19 July in Slovakia. The previous best Irish finish at this level was seventh, set in 2025. It stood for twelve months.
Ireland beat North Macedonia 69–56, lost to Sweden 58–90, then beat Azerbaijan 54–47 and hosts Slovakia 86–49 to reach the quarter-finals.
The quarter-final was lost 62–72 to Ukraine, who went on to win the title. Ireland then beat Hungary 88–79 and closed with an 85–69 win over Luxembourg in the fifth-place game.
It was Tommy Walsh's fourth European Championship in charge of the Ireland Under-20s. At home he is the Eagles assistant coach, and he has coached at Limerick Lions for years.
Darragh Horkan, the Eagles guard, played in all seven games. A Limerick Lions graduate and the reigning Division One Young Player of the Year, he travelled to last summer's Under-18 Euros as vice-captain and could not play a single game because of a wrist injury. Twelve months on, he did not miss one.
Fred Klimas and the Ireland Under-18s head for Croatia this week.
a testament to the character of these young men
Tommy Walsh, to the Irish Examiner
Sources: Basketball Ireland; FIBA; Irish Examiner (July 2026).