Contrasting signals

Shay Given and Stephen Ireland may have no future under Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert but the Scot reckons Ciarán Clark can thrive for both club and country.

Clark played the second half of yesterday’s 2-0 friendly win over Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, Villa’s penultimate warm-up game ahead of the Premier League kick-off on Saturday week at Arsenal.

The 23-year-old centre-back is gearing up for a major few months ahead.