Bohs lead way in international call-ups

THEY may have fallen short in both league and cup this season but Bohemians lead the way in the Republic of Ireland U-23 squad for the International Challenge Trophy curtain-raiser against Slovakia at Dalymount Park on November 13.

The Dublin club have four players in the 22-man squad which was unveiled yesterday by manager Pat Fenlon. Cork City have Denis Behan, Darren Murphy and Sean Kelly included, with Shamrock Rovers and UCD also contributing three players apiece. Champions Drogheda United, St Patrick’s Athletic, Bray Wanderers, Sligo Rovers and Longford Town are also represented in the panel which is drawn exclusively from the ranks of the Premier Division. However, Pat Fenlon said that a number of First Division players “came close” and, indeed, one of them — Shaun McGowan of Finn Harps — is on a standby list along with John Fitzgerald (Galway United), Brendan Clarke (St Pats) and Brian King (UCD).

Another player who was looked at was Ruaidhri Higgins of Derry City but, having already been capped at U-21 level for Northern Ireland and with neither his parents nor grandparents born in the Republic, he has had to be ruled out, as Irish football on both sides of the border awaits confirmation from FIFA of an expected tightening of the eligibility rules in the wake of the Darron Gibson affair.