Rising Cork star and UK comedy legend cast as Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy in Saipan film
Former Ireland captain Roy Keane will be played by Cork actor. Éanna Hardwicke.
Actor Éanna Hardwicke will portray fellow Corkman and former Ireland and Manchester United captain Roy Keane in a film chronicling the Saipan incident in the run up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Hardwicke, who has starred in TV shows such as and the , will act opposite two-time Oscar nominee and Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan, who will portray former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy.
will be directed by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa, who helmed the 2013 Irish comedy-drama and the 2019 romance the latter of which starred Liam Neeson.
The film will dramatise the public quarrel between Keane and McCarthy and the FAI as the Ireland squad prepared for their matches in 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan. The film's title comes from the island of the same name, where the Republic of Ireland were based before the tournament.
The disagreement, which stemmed from the squad's training conditions, its strategy and expectations, its travel arrangements, the diet of the payers and McCarthy’s managerial competence, resulted in Keane, the team's talismanic captain, being sent home from the squad.
The incident, and subsequent interviews with Keane in the media, caused significant controversy and divided public opinion as to who was to blame.
Without Keane as captain, Ireland finished unbeaten and in second place in Group E. Their final game saw Robbie Keane beat Germany's Oliver Kahn to secure a memorable last-gasp draw. Ireland ultimately lost to on penalties Spain in the round of 16.
McCarthy resigned as Irish manager in November 2002. Keane returned to the Ireland fold under McCarthy's successor, Brian Kerr, in 2004. Keane himself retired from international football in 2006.
is being produced by Macdara Kelleher and John Keville for Wild Atlantic Pictures along with Trevor Birney and Oliver Butler for Fine Point Films, with Patrick O’Neill, Eoin Egan and Rachael O’Kane serving as executive producers.
Producers Kelleher and Keville said: "A million words have been written about what happened on that fateful week in 2002 on the tiny island of Saipan. Next year audiences will finally get to experience first-hand the feud between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy and why it was labelled 'the worst preparation for a World Cup campaign ever'.
"We are so excited to have Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn direct this iconic story with our equally iconic cast."
Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have acquired UK and Ireland rights for the film, and are scheduling a release for next summer.
is being made in association with Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen, with the shoot set to take place in Ireland and in Saipan.
