Gibraltar perfect chance to give Lenihan debut, says Caulfield

Cork City manager John Caulfield believes that, not only is Brian Lenihan ready for his Ireland squad call-up but that the young full back would be well capable of making his senior international debut against Gibraltar on Saturday.

Capping an extraordinary first full year in senior football, the former City full-back was yesterday fast-tracked into the Ireland squad. With Everton’s Seamus Coleman ruled out of the games against Gibraltar and Germany, opportunity has suddenly knocked for the 20-year-old, who recently signed for Hull City but who has yet to make his debut for the Premier League club.

“We don’t have a natural right-back in the team,” said Martin O’Neill yesterday. “I haven’t seen him (Lenihan) myself but reports have been good and he’s settled in well at Hull. The lads (Ireland’s Hull contingent) have said he’s been excellent in training. So we’ll see, we’ll bring him along anyway.”