The Pitch: Declan Rice, Jack Grealish, and the FAI leak that set course of history

Jack Grealish playing for the Ireland U21s against Montenegro in 2014. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach / SPORTSFILE
The day was May 11, 2015, and a quiet afternoon in the newsroom suddenly exploded into life.
A call had just come through from a trusted source close to the Republic of Ireland men’s team that on the following day Martin O’Neill would name Jack Grealish in his senior squad for upcoming games against England and Scotland.