IT WAS A momentous night in Paris, as Graham Burke became the first League of Ireland player in over a decade to represent the Boys in Green at senior level.
Of course, a number of players who started out in domestic football — Seamus Coleman, James McClean and Wes Hoolahan to name a few — have gone on to represent Ireland after making the switch to Britain at club level.
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But not since Joe Gamble featured in a friendly against Ecuador during the Steve Staunton era in 2007 has someone simultaneously featured for the national team while plying their trade in the Premier Division.
The 24-year-old Shamrock Rovers player came on for Callum O’Dowda with 20 minutes remaining and operated on the left wing, as James McClean moved to the lone striker role in place of the departed Shane Long.
With Ireland on the backfoot for the majority of the contest, Burke struggled to replicate the kind of impact he has been having on a regular basis for his club, nonetheless the youngster expressed pride when speaking to RTÉ after the game.
“It’s a brilliant feeling, I’m over the moon, I can’t really put it into words how I feel right now,” he said.
“I’m proud to say I’ve made a senior cap for the Republic of Ireland.”
On being introduced late on, he added: “The heart started beating a bit faster, but to be on the pitch was brilliant.”
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'I'm proud to say I've made a senior cap for the Republic of Ireland'
IT WAS A momentous night in Paris, as Graham Burke became the first League of Ireland player in over a decade to represent the Boys in Green at senior level.
Of course, a number of players who started out in domestic football — Seamus Coleman, James McClean and Wes Hoolahan to name a few — have gone on to represent Ireland after making the switch to Britain at club level.
But not since Joe Gamble featured in a friendly against Ecuador during the Steve Staunton era in 2007 has someone simultaneously featured for the national team while plying their trade in the Premier Division.
The 24-year-old Shamrock Rovers player came on for Callum O’Dowda with 20 minutes remaining and operated on the left wing, as James McClean moved to the lone striker role in place of the departed Shane Long.
With Ireland on the backfoot for the majority of the contest, Burke struggled to replicate the kind of impact he has been having on a regular basis for his club, nonetheless the youngster expressed pride when speaking to RTÉ after the game.
“It’s a brilliant feeling, I’m over the moon, I can’t really put it into words how I feel right now,” he said.
“I’m proud to say I’ve made a senior cap for the Republic of Ireland.”
On being introduced late on, he added: “The heart started beating a bit faster, but to be on the pitch was brilliant.”
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