Irelands nearly eleven

The thread on Keith O'Neill got me thinking about all those players who looked like they were set for great international careers before disappearing off the radar through injury or loss of form. There's been plenty but here's my 11:

Gary Kelly (Newcastle 1980's)
Jim Beglin (Liverpool 80's)
Alan Maybury (Leeds)
Gary Doherty (Spurs)
Pat Scully (Arsenal 80's)
Mark Kelly (Portsmouth 80's)
Gareth Farrelly (Aston Villa 90's)
Jerry Murphy (Crystal Palace 70's)
Kevin O'Callaghan (Ipswich 80's)
Richard Sadler (Millwall)
Keith O'Neill (Norwich)

Anyone else?

McPhail surely must take pride of place :) Joe Murphy when he was at Tranmere was also very highly rated and played a key part in their success in the mid-90s. Also Kieron Brady with Sunderland in the 80s was a huge prospect.

There are dozens in the Gary Doherty, Gareth Farrelly category of basically crap players that we expected too much from.

We have not had too many Lazarus players though - Graham Kavanagh comes to mind, any others who plumbed the depths before rising for an Indian summer?

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Originally Posted by Qwerty

We have not had too many Lazarus players though - Graham Kavanagh comes to mind, any others who plumbed the depths before rising for an Indian summer?

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...possibly Stephen Hunt

Graham Barrett - The next home grown Arsenal superstar, captain of the youth team, captain of the reserves, released to Coventry where he was only average, now at the mighty Falkirk.

David Connolly, Mark Kennedy, Phil Babb, Thomas Butler, Eddie McGoldrick, Liam George. The list is as endless as time itself.

You could also add Lee Power and Andy Turner to that. Also, Kieron Durkan he was a combative midfielder but don't know where he went. Remember him in an U21 game v England in Dalyer. Brian Carey and Mick Milligan got a lot of talk as well but didn't really figure in the end.

Paul Byrne. What a talent.

In our league players I've seen who should have made it would be Ricky McEvoy, Mark Kenny, Liam Coyle. Paddy McCourt still has time.

Unfortunately most of the above ****ed their talent away.

KOH

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Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Paddy McCourt still has time.


KOH

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No he doesn't, he's a Northern Ireland U21 international

Maybe Richie Partridge and Tony Sheridan. Never made it to senior international level, but half a forest must have been cut down for all the newspaper talk about them!

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Originally Posted by youngirish

David Connolly, Mark Kennedy, Phil Babb, Thomas Butler, Eddie McGoldrick, Liam George. The list is as endless as time itself.

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Babb was at the 94 world cup wasn't he? got to count for something.

over 10 years ago David Billington and Mark McKeever, both Ireland U-21's,went from Peterborough to Sheffield Wednesday for a combined fee of 1 million pounds (even alot for back then) they both, mainly thru injury, faded into oblivion.

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Originally Posted by SaucyJack

Babb was at the 94 world cup wasn't he? got to count for something.

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Similarly Kennedy and Connolly both had more than their fair share of chances...

You can add Alan Moore to that list aswell, he was given his debut up front in one of McCarthy's first matches (could have been Czechs away?) and impressed....never built on it after that....

Alan O'Brien

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Originally Posted by soccerc

No he doesn't, he's a Northern Ireland U21 international

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Paddy is a full International, who now just gets ignored by them.

kwame ampudu

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Originally Posted by Dazzy

Paddy is a full International, who now just gets ignored by them.

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My point was he wouldnt look out of place playing international football.

KOH

Dominic Foley

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Originally Posted by youngirish

David Connolly, Mark Kennedy, Phil Babb, Thomas Butler, Eddie McGoldrick, Liam George. The list is as endless as time itself.

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McGoldrick had a decent Irish career. He was never a superstar but he also never let Ireland down.

Babb, for better or for worse, also did ok as an Irish player.

Ronnie O'Brien - once voted the world's best player

Sean Thornton because of reasons we all know about but Barry Quinns story I have never heard.In a lot of ways he was more commanding than McPhail for the famous Euro winning youth team.

And not forgetting Bernie Slaven...

What about Michael Reddy?

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Originally Posted by cheifo

Sean Thornton because of reasons we all know about but Barry Quinns story I have never heard.In a lot of ways he was more commanding than McPhail for the famous Euro winning youth team.

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I was recently at a relative's birthday do in our local football club, Templeogue United FC. Quinn originally played there (despite being a huge club, it's pretty rubbish) before moving to Manor Town (Niall Quinn's hometown club), from where he went to Coventry. He went to our local school and around 1998, he was a bit of a hero. I can only recall seeing him in Lansdowne at Paul McGrath's testimonial - I don't think he ever got a full cap. Still, he was the only Templeogue player to have gotten as far as he did so the clubhouse was plastered with pics of him (Clive Delaney of Derry City is the only other one that I can think of).

I passed a poster in the hallway of that U-18 team and I was stuck looking at it for ages - Barry Quinn, Liam George, Jason Gavin, Robbie Keane. That so few of them came through doesn't say much for us at all - the late 1990s should have been our golden generation, something upon which we could build a world-class team but look at us now. :(

Quinn, as far as I know, is playing with Oxford. I'm not sure if there's any story behind it other than he didn't make the grade to play at the top.

There was also a lad at Wolves a few years back called Keith Andrews, everyobne said he was the new Roy Keane..:rolleyes:

Barry Corr.

I can only recall seeing him in Lansdowne at Paul McGrath's testimonial - I don't think he ever got a full cap.

He played in friendly v Greece in May 2000. Don't know if he went to America that Summer for US CUP 2000? May have got one there.

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Originally Posted by Donal81

I passed a poster in the hallway of that U-18 team and I was stuck looking at it for ages - Barry Quinn, Liam George, Jason Gavin, Robbie Keane.

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why didn't you just assume they were all around 17 years old?? :D :D

He is still young but Liam Miller has not lived up to the hype after his early Celtic appearences. Richie Partridge was every newspapers one to watch after a loan spell with Coventry but went back to Liverpool and got stuck back with the reserves. Thomas Butler looked like he had promise but things went really bad for him, he got 2 good goals at the weekend against Sheffield United though.

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Originally Posted by PaulB

There was also a lad at Wolves a few years back called Keith Andrews, everyobne said he was the new Roy Keane..:rolleyes:

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Now with Milton Keynes - think he might be their captain.

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

I can only recall seeing him in Lansdowne at Paul McGrath's testimonial - I don't think he ever got a full cap.

He played in friendly v Greece in May 2000. Don't know if he went to America that Summer for US CUP 2000? May have got one there.

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Barry Quinn started the game against Greece (26/4/2000). Was substituted after 33 minutes, replaced by Rory Delap.

He started in the US Cup game v Mexico (4/6/2000) and was substituted just before half-time, replaced by Kevin Kilbane. He came on as a sub for Stephen McPhail in the game against South Africa (11/6/2000).

Brian Mooney.

Started off at Liverpool - was very highly rated. Don't think he broke into the team and ended up at Preston where he made a big impact - I think he was even voted their best player ever. Ended up back in LOI for a few seasons.

Also, around the same time - Ken DeMange who was highly rated also. I

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Originally Posted by The Swordsman

Brian Mooney.

Started off at Liverpool - was very highly rated. Don't think he broke into the team and ended up at Preston where he made a big impact - I think he was even voted their best player ever. Ended up back in LOI for a few seasons.

Also, around the same time - Ken DeMange who was highly rated also. I

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Unfortunately both ended up at bohs!

Mooney was superb and is still a hero in Preston. Voted their second best player ever after Tom Finney. They even brought out a book on him. Would have got capped except his club at the time insisted he play for them same night as Ireland played.

Scored a few goals for Shels in Europe.

KOH

is it too late for Dwayne Mattis? If I remember right, he was the youngest ever player to line out for Huddersfield(could be wrong) he'll be 26 this year and Barnsley appear to be interested.

from 11-a-side.com



Bury boss slams Barnsley offer


January 11, 2007

Bury manager Chris Casper has slammed as “disrespectful” an initial offer from Coca-Cola Championship side Barnsley for former Irish under-21 midfielder Dwayne Mattis.

Mattis has been in fine form for the Shakers so far this season and was subject of a tentative opening offer from the Oakwell side last week.

But Casper immediately rebuffed the offer for a player he believes is the best in League Two.

He said: “The first bid that came in wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. It was a totally disrespectful offer and I suggest they go away and seriously think about it.

“At the end of the day, it won’t be my decision. I do have a bit of an input, but I wouldn’t like to tell you what my input to that offer was.

“It doesn’t surprise me it’s all about Dwayne at the moment. He’s probably the most influential player in the division and I can understand why people are interested in him.”

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Originally Posted by SaucyJack

is it too late for Dwayne Mattis? If I remember right, he was the youngest ever player to line out for Huddersfield(could be wrong) he'll be 26 this year and Barnsley appear to be interested.

from 11-a-side.com



Bury boss slams Barnsley offer


January 11, 2007

Bury manager Chris Casper has slammed as “disrespectful” an initial offer from Coca-Cola Championship side Barnsley for former Irish under-21 midfielder Dwayne Mattis.

Mattis has been in fine form for the Shakers so far this season and was subject of a tentative opening offer from the Oakwell side last week.

But Casper immediately rebuffed the offer for a player he believes is the best in League Two.

He said: “The first bid that came in wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. It was a totally disrespectful offer and I suggest they go away and seriously think about it.

“At the end of the day, it won’t be my decision. I do have a bit of an input, but I wouldn’t like to tell you what my input to that offer was.

“It doesn’t surprise me it’s all about Dwayne at the moment. He’s probably the most influential player in the division and I can understand why people are interested in him.”

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Probably the most influential player in League 2 at 26 - sounds like it is too late to me!

"Probably the most influential player in League 2 at 26 - sounds like it is too late to me!"


Yeah, probably, but Mark Kinsella wasn't too much younger when he went to Charlton from Colchester.

Dunno about that. Think he was 26 or 27 when he made his international debut and he was with Charlton a bit at that stage.

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Originally Posted by Donal81

Still, he was the only Templeogue player to have gotten as far as he did so the clubhouse was plastered with pics of him

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I'm pretty sure Richard Dunne played there as well. His dad used to be in charge of the clubhouse as well before.

Don't think he has been mentioned yet, but when Matthew Rush broke on to the scene he looked a real find. I remember him winning a premiership (or whatever it was called then) game almost single handed & getting a standing ovation.

Thomas Butler looked like he had promise but things went really bad for him, he got 2 good goals at the weekend against Sheffield United though.[/QUOTE]

Tom Butler is doing realy well at Swansea holding down a place now played great against Sheff Utd and hit the post with a free kick at the weekend. Don't rule him out yet he's only 25 and I reckon Swansea will go up this year unlucky not to last year. I think all he's been through has made him a better player. Watch this space.

Mark Kelly formally of Portmouth, once described by alan Ball as the best footballer he's seen since George Best" remember him at Sligo and i think he also played with Derry City as well, Charlton played him once or twice as well,

Ger Crossley (Celtic) is another one who springs to mind- he was part of kerrs euro winners.

Liam O'Brien- rovers, man united, newcastle- class act at the shams

Brian Carey- now managing wrexham

Alan Brazil- finglas lad -tipped for stardome in the mid-1980's when he went to united.

the list is endless!!!!!