Rowlands, Byrne to debut for Collins

Dublin City manager Roddy Collins has former Northern Ireland international Keith Rowlands and West Ham United's Shaun Byrne set to make their debuts tonight as the Vikings' travel to Leeside to take on Cork City in the eircom League (7.45pm).

Both players signed on for City’s relegation battle yesterday, the newest additions to Collins’ bootom-placed squad makeover since the new manager put 15 first-team squad members on the transfer list earlier in the week.

Portadown-born Rowlands, 33, won 18 caps with Northern Ireland during spells with West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR and will continue to live in the south-east of England, training with Dagenham and Redbridge and flying over for matches.

Left-sided Byrne, meanwhile, skippered the likes of John O'Shea, Andy Reid and Liam Miller to European Youths Championship finals success under Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr in Scotland in 1998.

Capped at U16, U18 and U21 level with the Republic, Byrne had been on loan at Bristol Rovers and Swansea having made his West Ham debut at Newcastle in 2000.

"Once I heard he was available I spoke to him and I'm delighted he's agreed to sign for us,” Collins said.

“Like Keith, he has a lot of experience and he knows his way around a football pitch. They are both quality signings and that's what this club needs."

Collins also promised more signings in the near future.