Ireland's Great Expectations XI

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I'd like if, nearly ten years on, he was still one of our best players.

Oh, wait...

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its a fair point. Cant argue with that.

Here's my XI;

Alex O'Reilly

Barry Quinn Gavin McShane Foy

Partridge McPhail Miller Thornton

Barrett Reddy

Not that one would have had 'Great Expectations' of all, but on underage form and early club appearances, you'd certainly have expected them to do better with their careers. Most of that team aren't even playing professionally anymore, despite eight having actual EPL experience and a further two (Partridge, O'Reilly) being reserves at EPL clubs. Foy gets in because of our dearth of left-backs.

Anytime I read 'Sean Thornton', I get this image of Michaleen (Barry Fitzgerald) in a Castletown pub, telling the the tale of Trooper Thorn.

Ger Crossley. Looked fantastic as a youngster. Was washing dishes in a TGI Fridays before he was 27.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Did he not play against Romania or Yugolslavia at Lansdowne, in a late 80s friendly? Maybe it was post-Italia 90.

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maybe you are right and morroco (not tunisia as stated above) was his full debut

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Originally Posted by jbyrne

maybe you are right and morroco (not tunisia as stated above) was his full debut

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I think East Terracer called it right. Kelly made his debut against Yugoslavia in a 1988 friendly. It was a warm up game before Euro 88.

If I recall it correctly, he only played the 2nd half???? (stand corrected on that)

I recall him playing very well in the 2nd half and the Yugoslav's resorted to kicking him off the park by the end of the game.

I recall Paul McGrath throwing one of their players to the ground following the final whistle in a "pick on you own size" style of retribution.

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Originally Posted by jbyrne

maybe you are right and morroco (not tunisia as stated above) was his full debut

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Wolfie's correct. Yugoslavia in 1988 was Kelly's debut as an 18 year old (think he was the youngest cap after Jimmy Holmes). I listed his four caps on the previous page (3 in 88 and Morocco game in 1990 was his last).

Kieron Brady from Sunderland was another who had great potential but his career was lost to illness. He was retired by 22.

Here's a link to the "programme of the game" for any anoraks interested.

http://http://www.footballzone.co.uk/ireland-v-yugoslavia-13486.html

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Originally Posted by EastTerracer

Wolfie's correct. Yugoslavia in 1988 was Kelly's debut as an 18 year old (think he was the youngest cap after Jimmy Holmes). I listed his four caps on the previous page (3 in 88 and Morocco game in 1990 was his last)

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Was that not Mark Kelly on the left wing for Ireland B V England B, on that video highlights you uploaded to you tube?

There's also Andy Turner

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Originally Posted by geysir

Was that not Mark Kelly on the left wing for Ireland B V England B, on that video highlights you uploaded to you tube?

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yep i mentioned his appearance in that game in my post on the previous page.