O’Brien upset by boo-boys’ ‘unjustified’ abuse of McCarthy

IRISH teenage starlet James McCarthy is getting it in the ears from Scottish football fans because he chose to represent Ireland.

The Hamilton Accies youngster was the victim of the boo-boys again at the weekend against Motherwell, leaving ’Well’s Jim O’Brien perplexed. A Scot by birth who opted for international honours with the Republic of Ireland, O’Brien never experienced such vitriol from the terraces for his choice of representative football.

“I was capped for the Republic of Ireland at U-19 and U-21 level and I have never had anything like that,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know if it boils down to a bit of jealousy because James is such an exciting talent and is tipped for big things in the game. But it is definitely hard on him.