February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — Despite a host of injuries, Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland soccer side continued its run of form with a 3-0 victory over Finland in a friendly international in Helsinki last Wednesday. With so many of his tried and trusted players unavailable, it was the turn of the new kids on the block to show their worth.
While midfielders Colin Healy and Stephen McPhail are not exactly unknowns, the names Graham Barrett, Jim Goodwin and Thomas Butler made their marks on the game. With Robbie Keane adding to his goals total, Healy and Barrett opened their international accounts in what was a fluid team performance.
If this was glimpse of the future in advance of the beginning of the qualifying series for the 2004 European Championships — Ireland play Russia in Moscow on Sept. 7 — McCarthy will surely return to his more experience cabal of players, injuries permitting. The manager gave Jason McAteer the captaincy on his 50th appearance. However, Healy looked a better bet on the right side of midfield.
Elsewhere, players such as Barrett and Healy may have to consider transfers from their high-profile clubs if they are to have any hope of progressing at international level. Barrett has had little opportunity of breaking into the first team at English champions Arsenal, while Healy has been experiencing the same problems at Scottish champions Celtic.
With youth given its opportunity in Helsinki, there was one surprise omission from McCarthy’s squad. John O’Shea, who has been playing in Manchester United’s first team, was not deemed good enough for selection. McCarthy had pointed out when he announced his squad that he wanted O’Shea to be playing for United, and now that that has happened, surely the highly promising central defender will be included in the party to travel to Russia.
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