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.

Expressing the view that he has picked a “strong” panel of players, Fenlon — the former Shelbourne and Derry boss — admitted that it was a little disappointing that they are highly unlikely to be performing in front of the senior national team manager following the recent departure of Steve Staunton.

“But it still gives the players a decent opportunity to get themselves international recognition,” he said. “It puts them in the shop window although we do want to keep the best players we can in the league. But when it’s an international squad there’s going to be people at the game looking at the players. So it is disappointing that there won’t be a (senior) manager there to watch the game. But, you never know, maybe there’ll be a manager in place by then!” Assistant manager — and boss of Longford Town — Alan Matthews said that there is a great appetite in the domestic game for international honours.

“The consensus of opinion around the league is that this is most welcome,” he said. “The age profile in the league has come right down in recent years, and it’s very much a young man’s game. Now there’s an opportunity for international recognition for them. I think I can speak for (Longford striker) Dave Mooney — it’s definitely something that has inspired him and given him a great motivation. And talking to guys of his ilk at other clubs, it has certainly kicked off a great interest within the league. And the players we’ve spoken too are really up for it and want to do as well as they can for their country. Because, ultimately, that’s what this is about.”

One controversial note is that the game on November 13 (kick off 7.45pm) will clash with the St Patrick’s Athletic v Wisla Krakow friendly in Inchicore on the same night. Clearly unhappy with the situation, Fenlon yesterday restricted himself to saying: “I think I’ll let the powers that be answer that. If I answer that I might get into trouble.”

The game against Slovakia will be Ireland’s first in a new competition which also features teams from England, Italy, Wales, Finland and Northern Ireland.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND squad: B Murphy (Shamrock Rovers), D Quigley (UCD), G Peers (Sligo Rovers), C Kenna (UCD), C Powell (Bohemians), S Coleman (Sligo Rovers), G O’ Brien (Shamrock Rovers), D Murphy (Cork City), S Kelly (Cork City), K Deery (Derry City), C Brennan (Derry City), P Keegan (Drogheda United), JP Kelly (Bohemians), S O’ Donnell (Bohemians), S Bradley (Drogheda United), S Rice (Bohemians), P Kavanagh (Bray Wanderers), C Sammon (UCD), D Behan (Cork City), D Mooney (Longford Town), M Quigley (St Patrick’s Athletic), G Rowe (Shamrock Rovers).