Ireland's Great Expectations XI

**Fixer82** · 07/04/2011, 4:49 PM

Didn't he get a serious injury though?

**peadar1987** · 07/04/2011, 5:00 PM

Curtis Fleming? Keith O'Neill?

**SkStu** · 07/04/2011, 5:02 PM

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.

it was Romania and he was excellent. Dont remember him playing in that Tunisia game (Aldridges 1st goal??). Did we play them in Dalymount or was that Morrocco?

Anyway, Kelly was a top prospect atthe time and he also played in the Ireland B vs. England B game where we won 4-1, if i remember correctly...

**Eminence Grise** · 07/04/2011, 5:11 PM

Barry Quinn, Liam Daish and David Kelly?

Never got a full cap, but Lee Power comes to mind as well.

**backstothewall** · 07/04/2011, 7:57 PM

Surely Keith O'Neill has to beat Mark Kennedy for a place in this team. Kennedy has that goal against Yugoslavia to keep him clear.

Paul Butler at #5?

**Dunners** · 07/04/2011, 8:28 PM

Liam O'Brien
Graham Barrett
Dominic Foley

**IsMiseSean** · 07/04/2011, 8:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dunners

Graham Barrett

Good one, I remember thinking he was going to be our next top striker for awhile...

**dr_peepee** · 07/04/2011, 9:52 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Liam Miller should be captain.

I dunno... Mark Kennedy has to be the Daddy of failed expectations... Britains most expensive teenager when he joined Liverpool under the guise of a "Cross between Rush, Beardsley and Barnes" (Sunday World Description, will never forget it.)

**Supreme feet** · 07/04/2011, 11:58 PM

Michael Reddy. Made a good few appearances for Sunderland off the bench in the 2000/01 season, scored once. Appeared in the RTE guide's list of 'Stars of the new Milennium'. Jason Gavin - played a full season for Boro around the same time. McPhail and Partridge obviously. If we're going to mention Colin Healy and Keith O'Neill in the 'ruined by injuries' heading, then Richard Sadlier deserves a mention too. Ger Crossley - outstanding for the underage teams, released by Celtic. Shaun Thornton - remember his volley against Chelsea? Also Stephen Elliott, Darren Potter, Clifford Byrne, Stephen Paisley, Willo Flood, Liam Kearney - all played in the 2003 World Youth Championships (our last, incidentally) and looked pretty decent at the time. Going back slightly further, Gareth Farrelly and Davey Savage never really made the breakthrough after being capped in the late 90s. Keith Foy is another one.

**EastTerracer** · 08/04/2011, 1:49 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Mark Kelly?

Originally Posted by jbyrne

remember his debut. think it was tunisia in 1990 in dalymount. was poor and cant remember seeing him again

Kelly got 4 caps - Yugoslavia ('88) Poland ('88) Tunisia ('88) and Morocco (1990). Alan Ball was his manager at Portsmouth at the time of his debut and unfortunately described him as the 'new George Best" (that one never ends well). He actually looked exciting as an 18 year old debutant but injuries ruined his chances and he was out of the English professional game at a very young age.

**dr_peepee** · 08/04/2011, 4:06 AM

Originally Posted by Supreme feet

Going back slightly further, Gareth Farrelly and Davey Savage never really made the breakthrough after being capped in the late 90s.

Ah Jayzus.. Dave Savage never merrited any expectation, that he subsequently failed to meet!!! Shaun Thornton though is a great shout....

**Supreme feet** · 08/04/2011, 4:58 AM

Point taken on Savage. Liam George was another. Okay, he was only playing for Luton, but at one stage he was cracking in the goals for them, and being linked with PL clubs in the tabloids. Alan Mahon was another off the top of my head, but he suffered from the fact that we had lots of left-midfielders when he was at his best - had a solid enough career in fairness.

Looking back at the 1997 World Youth Championship, most people would've expected big things from Neale Fenn, Robbie Ryan, Thomas Morgan, Dessie Baker, Trevor Molloy and Colin Hawkins, from that tournament. Knocked out a Spain team containing Albelda, Angulo, Farinos and Gerard, of Valencia fame. Only lost 1-0 to Argentina, who had Riquelme, Cambiasso, Aimar and Samuel!

**gustavo** · 08/04/2011, 8:05 AM

Shaun Byrne
Sean Thorton
Richard Sadlier
Stephen Elliott

**an_ceannaire** · 08/04/2011, 8:15 AM

Lads, Firstly, to those of you mentioning Stephen Elliot.....Look at the team again.......!

And some of ye seem to be confusing the issue. Its not "remember this lad who got one cap 10 years ago" etc. Its players we had high hopes for but it just never happened.

Thornton is a great shout. Liam George is not.....

**gustavo** · 08/04/2011, 8:25 AM

You can still have high hopes for players that only got 1 cap - or even none. Based on underage performances for us I'd say the likes of Liam George and Shaun Byrne are good shouts

**an_ceannaire** · 08/04/2011, 8:35 AM

Originally Posted by gustavo

You can still have high hopes for players that only got 1 cap - or even none. Based on underage performances for us I'd say the likes of Liam George and Shaun Byrne are good shouts

in that case would Michael Branch and Danny Cadamateri qualify for an English Equivilant?

**an_ceannaire** · 08/04/2011, 8:36 AM

Here is a controversial one.......Damien Duff......???? Not that he hasnt done well for us....but go back 8 years and wonder has he fulfilled his potential as "could be the best left winger in the world" etc...?

**AlaskaFox** · 08/04/2011, 8:43 AM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Here is a controversial one.......Damien Duff......???? Not that he hasnt done well for us....but go back 8 years and wonder has he fulfilled his potential as "could be the best left winger in the world" etc...?

That's just stupid. Duff was fantastic at the 2002 World Cup. How much more can you ask for?

**an_ceannaire** · 08/04/2011, 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by AlaskaFox

That's just stupid. Duff was fantastic at the 2002 World Cup. How much more can you ask for?

Toto Schillachi was fantastic at Italia 90.....Daniel Amokachi was fantastic at USA 94........

Look I am not atall saying Duff hasnt been a great servant for us....not for a second.......its just a "throw it out there" possibility. Many of us thought he was going to be a world superstar post 2002. Then again we thought that about McAteer and Babb aswell post 94!!
You disagree......fair enough. Most probably would. Hell I probably do!