Paul Rouse: FAI must award caps to 14 pioneers of Irish soccer

The first players to play for the newly-constructed Irish international team were never awarded caps.

CAPS: The Ireland soccer team at the 1924 Olympics. the players involved were never awarded caps for their performances at the Games, despite being pioneers of the game.

The first players to play for the newly-constructed Irish international team after the partition of Ireland and the establishment of the Football Association of the Irish Free State were never awarded international caps for the matches they played.

There are at least 14 players who were not deemed to be full internationals as a result of this. They are Paddy Duncan, Ernie MacKay, Michael Farrell and Thomas Murphy from St James' Gate; John Joe Dykes, Denis Hannon, Paddy Reilly and Frank Ghent from Athlone Town; Bertie Kerr, Johnny Murray, Christy Robinson, John Thomas and Ned Brooks from Bohemians; and Tony Hanston from Jacobs.