Who is the best irishman never capped at full international level?

**livehead1** · 20/11/2006, 5:59 PM

Who is the best Irish footballer to never receive a full International cap? I propose we see what the general consensus is and then create a poll of the 3 post popular names mentioned and then see who really is the best never to be capped.

**Irish_Praha** · 20/11/2006, 6:40 PM

Anthony Stokes

Or you mean someone who is retired?

**Dodge** · 20/11/2006, 6:46 PM

Good question. Don O'Riordan and Tommy Gaynor had succesful careers at a decent level in England without getting a cap

**Irish_Praha** · 20/11/2006, 6:53 PM

All jokes aside with such a small pool of players to choose from and our (much talked about on here) reliance on the English league, it's unlikely that any top-class talent playing in England was overlooked. It would more than likely be an EL player that was happy to stay at home eventhough he probably had the talent to make it in England. Unfortunately I'm not well up on the EL.

2 players we could have called up but didnt were Martin Keown and Kiran Richardson. I know Richardson would have accepted a call-up to one of our youth teams but I'm not sure if Keown declared for England because he was being constantly ovelooked by Ireland or because with the strenght of Irelands defence at the time he feared he wouldn't get his game.

What about Tony Sheridan who had fits and bursts of sublime skill but no consistency (or was he just lazy?).

**Armando** · 20/11/2006, 7:00 PM

Did Steve Bruce qualify for Ireland? His son was in the B team last week, so I presume his 'oul fella qualified too somehow.

**SuperDave** · 20/11/2006, 7:16 PM

Originally Posted by Armando

Did Steve Bruce qualify for Ireland? His son was in the B team last week, so I presume his 'oul fella qualified too somehow.

urban myth

steve's stepson i think, or somesuch malarkey. maybe his wife had a bit of irish in her. :risqu� smiley:

**DeNiro** · 20/11/2006, 8:01 PM

Tony Sheridan (ex-Coventry, Shels, Dublin City) never got a full cap.

Did Brian Mooney get a full cap? Have a feeling he got one v Tunisia in 1988!

**Superhoops** · 20/11/2006, 8:22 PM

Originally Posted by DeNiro

Tony Sheridan (ex-Coventry, Shels, Dublin City) never got a full cap.

Did Brian Mooney get a full cap? Have a feeling he got one v Tunisia in 1988!

Brian Mooney did not play in that game. The team was:
G.Peyton, M.Morris, M.McCarthy, J.Anderson, S.Staunton, R.Houghton, L.O'Brien, K.Sheedy, M.Kelly, T.Cascarino, J.Aldridge. Subs; P.Scully, D.Kelly, N.Quinn, K.DeMange.

**tricky_colour** · 20/11/2006, 9:23 PM

Are Irishmen capped for England included?

**livehead1** · 20/11/2006, 9:25 PM

Originally Posted by SuperDave

urban myth

steve's stepson i think, or somesuch malarkey. maybe his wife had a bit of irish in her. :risqu� smiley:

jaysus, your like a journalist from the sunday world. Why post an answer when you clearly don't have a clue. Steve Bruce was asked by Charlton to play in the world cup in 1994. At the time the English Prem. had a rule whereby a country could not have more than 3 foreigners in the side at a time. His club career was at risk, so he said no, at much the same time kev, gallen did. but dont let the truth fool you...

**pineapple stu** · 20/11/2006, 9:59 PM

Originally Posted by DeNiro

Did Brian Mooney get a full cap? Have a feeling he got one v Tunisia in 1988!

Was Brian Mooney in contention for an Ireland cap?

Great player; big help in getting us into Europe in 2000.

**sligoman** · 20/11/2006, 10:03 PM

Keith Foy

or is yer serious, Lee Trundle.

**dr_peepee** · 21/11/2006, 4:45 AM

Mark Beeney, Ashley Ward & Shawn McCarthy

**bennocelt** · 21/11/2006, 8:47 AM

the Gallen brothers with QPR?

**Dodge** · 21/11/2006, 8:57 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Was Brian Mooney in contention for an Ireland cap?

Great player; big help in getting us into Europe in 2000.

He's an absolute hero for Preston and was with Sunderland when they reached the FA Cup final (got injured and didn't play)

Can we stick to players born in ireland to avoid confusion and speculation?

Best LOI players not capped were John McDonnell, Eddie Gormley. and Stephen Geoghegan

**Block G Raptor** · 21/11/2006, 9:12 AM

Dave Henderson was capped at all levels up to B international and Packie Bonner was his understudy at each of those levels.I know he was pretty disgruntled when packie was picked ahead of him for the senior side purely because Dave wanted to stay at home play for Bohs and be a fireman in his spare time
even though Bordeaux tried to sign him a couple of times

**Bluebeard** · 21/11/2006, 9:42 AM

AFAIK Steve Bruce eventually played a B international for England, adn often turns up on lists of best players in the last 20 years never to play for England (though surely Maradona or Platini would top that poll)

Back on topic, Kev Gallen would be one of the best 2nd Gens not to play international - Gerry Francis' fault telling him to declare for England - played an U21 match for England against Ireland in Dalymount about 10 or so years ago - didn't look too happy about it. Declaring for England certainly halted his career, I reckon.

Of retired eL players, recently, Stephen Geoghan comes to mind. Strangely enough, Martin Lawlor from the few games I saw him play also sticks out in my mind. Pat Morley too.

**EDIT** And when I think of it, how can I forget Ronnie O'Brien!

**DeNiro** · 21/11/2006, 9:47 AM

[QUOTE=Dodge;578624]He's an absolute hero for Preston and was with Sunderland when they reached the FA Cup final (got injured and didn't play)

He was excellent. Didn't he get voted 2nd best Preston player of all time after Stanley Matthews? I saw he had an authobiography as well. Don't know how long it is published though!