ARGUABLY MORE THAN most, Andy Boyle has had to work hard to get to the level he currently plays at.
Around this time six years ago, he was lining out for Shelbourne in the League of Ireland’s First Division.
Before joining Preston, he made more than 200 appearance in Irish football with UCD, Shels and Dundalk.
It was not necessarily lack of talent that meant he was overlooked for a move across the water initially — instead, Boyle chose to prioritise his education.
I had offers to sign for clubs, I just felt that being away from home would be too tough and I really didn’t think that scene was for me, going away to England at 16 and I have no regrets about it. And it’s worked out pretty well for me,” the player told Aidan Fitzmaurice of The Herald last year.
While he might only be coming onto many football fans’ radars now, he is the antithesis of an overnight success story. In his first season with Dundalk, a 21-year-old Boyle’s talent was obvious. He helped the Lilywhites finish second, just three points behind 2013 champions St Pat’s, earning a place in the PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year as well as being named the Dundalk Player’s Player of the Year amid a phenomenal debut campaign that provided a taste of what was to come.
The epitome of consistency, in four seasons with the Lilywhites, he missed just two league matches.
After joining Preston in January, he started life there persistently on the bench, but has stayed in the team since making his Championship debut against Derby on the day he turned 26 earlier this month.
Now, with Martin O’Neill expected to give fringe players a chance against Iceland, Boyle could be on the brink of making his Ireland debut.
The Dublin-born centre-back has, it seems, finally hit the big time, and without having to sacrifice his education or go down the traditional route of a move to England at a young age. His story is one that should serve as inspiration for every promising player currently ploughing away and often struggling to earn a living in the invariably unglamorous surroundings of the League of Ireland’s Premier and First Divisions.
Similarly, Daryl Horgan, Boyle’s former Dundalk and current Preston teammate, could well be given a chance at the Aviva tonight.
The 24-year-old winger likewise has had to work extremely hard for his chance at this level, playing nearly 200 matches in domestic football before sealing a switch to Simon Grayson’s side.
Horgan excelled on a regular basis in Irish football — in four seasons on the bounce from 2013 to 2016, he was at least nominated for either the PFAI Player or Young Player of the Year award.
The duo’s progress is a reminder of the importance the domestic game plays in developing young talent. Should Boyle and Horgan feature at the Aviva tonight, they undoubtedly won’t be the only players involved with a League of Ireland background. Indeed, Martin O’Neill would not have to look too hard to field a credible starting XI composed entirely of individuals who began life in Irish football.
2. Seamus Coleman injury still looms over international week
Despite earning a precious World Cup qualifying point against Wales on Friday night, the mood in the Ireland camp has been decidedly subdued in an international week that began with the tragedy of Ryan McBride’s sudden death and approached its culmination amid confirmation that the team’s inspirational captain and best player would be out of action for the foreseeable future.
With 284 caps between them, John O’Shea, James McCarthy, Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters are as committed as they come at this level, but the quartet would be forgiven for feeling a sense of relief as they put a difficult few days behind them following confirmation of their withdrawals from the squad on Sunday.
Those left may struggle to summon the same levels of enthusiasm that were evident in abundance on Friday night. With many in question facing key matches as the English league season approaches its climax, this evening’s game at best will be a showcase for fringe players to impress while many others will mainly be hoping to avoid injury and conserve as much energy as possible for their respective domestic run-ins.
3. Are Iceland Ireland’s closest equivalent international team?
Iceland overachieved significantly at Euro 2016, beating England in the last-16 in memorable fashion. Liewig Christian
Liewig Christian
It is perhaps fitting that Ireland and Iceland sit next to each other in the latest edition of the Fifa world rankings, with the latter a place above the former in 23rd.
Ahead of last week’s Ireland-Wales game, the similarities between these two sides were noted. But in truth, at least in terms of individual talent, the Welsh are superior to the Boys in Green. Martin O’Neill’s men have no one capable of hitting the levels of Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale or Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, while even a lesser player in Stoke midfielder Joe Allen managed to look more technically accomplished than anyone in green last week.
With Iceland though, you genuinely get the sense that it is essentially like for like that O’Neill’s men are coming up against. Just as Ireland did, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side significantly overachieved at Euro 2016 before being beaten by a superior French team.
The two sides’ styles of play are quite similar. Both favour a direct approach that is reliant more on hard work and team ethic than individual talent, with midfield often by-passed in favour of long balls. Indeed, Iceland, with a population of a little over 300,000, have arguably maximised their potential even more so than Martin O’Neill’s men have tended to do in the past.
Of course, with the two sides missing key players going into this game, neither are likely to in any way resemble the teams that took to the field last summer.
Not that this game will necessarily be a dead rubber or pointless though, with backup players keen to impress, while a win would aid either side’s Uefa coefficient, which could be of some significance for future qualification groups.
Moreover, back in November 2014, Ireland played another supposedly meaningless friendly, beating USA 4-1 at home. Before then, Robbie Brady had failed to start any of Ireland’s opening four Euro 2016 qualifiers. But since his memorable brace at the Aviva that night, the Burnley star has been a virtual ever-present in the Irish side. Can a current fringe player make a similar impact tonight?
4. Could Hourihane be Hoolahan’s long-term successor?
But whether he has rather suddenly gone up considerably in Keane and O’Neill’s estimation is uncertain. It could well be, as harsh as it sounds, that Hourihane is only in the final Ireland squad by default. His chances were undoubtedly helped by as many as 10 players having to withdraw from contention through injury, while the departure of four more senior players following the Wales game is another boost to his hopes of winning a first international cap.
Like Boyle, Horgan and many others in the squad, Hourihane has had to emerge from relative obscurity to get to this point. Having starred alongside current Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in midfield for Sunderland’s 2008 FA Youth Cup run to the semi-finals, three years later, he found himself in the depths of League Two with Plymouth.
Should Hourihane get a chance to prove himself this evening, it will be interesting to see where he plays. In two and a half seasons with Barnsley, he managed an impressive 29 league goals and countless more assists from midfield. He has also hit the target once already for his new club and has developed a reputation for spectacular long-range goals in recent times (see video above).
Therefore, should he feature, it will be interesting to see if Hourihane plays in the advanced midfield role rather than at the base. Certainly, he would be more comfortable there than Jeff Hendrick looked on Friday night.
Wes Hoolahan will be 36 by the time the 2018 World Cup rolls around and while he was never the type of player whose primary assets were pace and power, Ireland cannot always afford to be ruing his absence through injury, as they were to an extent against Wales.
Hourihane looks like one potential successor to the Norwich man. The 26-year-old may lack Hoolahan’s exemplary close control and creativity, but he is arguably more dynamic and certainly more of a goal threat than the Dubliner. Whether he can fulfill his obvious potential remains to be seen, but it’s nights like this evening where he should surely be given the chance to prove his worth.
5. Due reward after fine 12 months for Brady
Robbie Brady will captain Ireland against Iceland tonight. DPA / PA Images
DPA / PA Images / PA Images
At international level at least, things could hardly have gone much better for Robbie Brady in 2016 — a silly yellow card in the team’s 1-0 win in Austria that left him suspended for last week’s Welsh encounter was one of the few low points in a seminal year for the former Manchester United youngster, who became Burnley’s record signing in the January transfer window.
Along with Jeff Hendrick, he was Ireland’s best player at Euro 2016, scoring the famous goal in the 1-0 defeat of Italy.
His success was encapsulated by the fact that he cleaned up at the recent FAI awards, winning goal of the year, young player of the year and senior player of the year, and his guile and expert set-piece delivery was badly missed as Ireland laboured in attack during last Friday’s World Cup qualifier.
Of the players currently left in the squad, only Callum O’Dowda, Daryl Horgan, Jeff Hendrick, John Egan and Cyrus Christie are younger than Brady, so for the Dubliner to be made team captain for tonight’s clash is a phenomenal achievement and one that few would argue with.
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A momentous night for LOI alumni and more Ireland-Iceland talking points
1. A momentous night for League of Ireland alumni
ARGUABLY MORE THAN most, Andy Boyle has had to work hard to get to the level he currently plays at.
Around this time six years ago, he was lining out for Shelbourne in the League of Ireland’s First Division.
Before joining Preston, he made more than 200 appearance in Irish football with UCD, Shels and Dundalk.
It was not necessarily lack of talent that meant he was overlooked for a move across the water initially — instead, Boyle chose to prioritise his education.
While he might only be coming onto many football fans’ radars now, he is the antithesis of an overnight success story. In his first season with Dundalk, a 21-year-old Boyle’s talent was obvious. He helped the Lilywhites finish second, just three points behind 2013 champions St Pat’s, earning a place in the PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year as well as being named the Dundalk Player’s Player of the Year amid a phenomenal debut campaign that provided a taste of what was to come.
The epitome of consistency, in four seasons with the Lilywhites, he missed just two league matches.
After joining Preston in January, he started life there persistently on the bench, but has stayed in the team since making his Championship debut against Derby on the day he turned 26 earlier this month.
Now, with Martin O’Neill expected to give fringe players a chance against Iceland, Boyle could be on the brink of making his Ireland debut.
The Dublin-born centre-back has, it seems, finally hit the big time, and without having to sacrifice his education or go down the traditional route of a move to England at a young age. His story is one that should serve as inspiration for every promising player currently ploughing away and often struggling to earn a living in the invariably unglamorous surroundings of the League of Ireland’s Premier and First Divisions.
Similarly, Daryl Horgan, Boyle’s former Dundalk and current Preston teammate, could well be given a chance at the Aviva tonight.
The 24-year-old winger likewise has had to work extremely hard for his chance at this level, playing nearly 200 matches in domestic football before sealing a switch to Simon Grayson’s side.
Horgan excelled on a regular basis in Irish football — in four seasons on the bounce from 2013 to 2016, he was at least nominated for either the PFAI Player or Young Player of the Year award.
The duo’s progress is a reminder of the importance the domestic game plays in developing young talent. Should Boyle and Horgan feature at the Aviva tonight, they undoubtedly won’t be the only players involved with a League of Ireland background. Indeed, Martin O’Neill would not have to look too hard to field a credible starting XI composed entirely of individuals who began life in Irish football.
2. Seamus Coleman injury still looms over international week
This evening’s match almost feels like an afterthought in a football week that has been dominated by the sad news of Seamus Coleman’s brutal leg break.
Despite earning a precious World Cup qualifying point against Wales on Friday night, the mood in the Ireland camp has been decidedly subdued in an international week that began with the tragedy of Ryan McBride’s sudden death and approached its culmination amid confirmation that the team’s inspirational captain and best player would be out of action for the foreseeable future.
With 284 caps between them, John O’Shea, James McCarthy, Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters are as committed as they come at this level, but the quartet would be forgiven for feeling a sense of relief as they put a difficult few days behind them following confirmation of their withdrawals from the squad on Sunday.
Those left may struggle to summon the same levels of enthusiasm that were evident in abundance on Friday night. With many in question facing key matches as the English league season approaches its climax, this evening’s game at best will be a showcase for fringe players to impress while many others will mainly be hoping to avoid injury and conserve as much energy as possible for their respective domestic run-ins.
3. Are Iceland Ireland’s closest equivalent international team?
It is perhaps fitting that Ireland and Iceland sit next to each other in the latest edition of the Fifa world rankings, with the latter a place above the former in 23rd.
Ahead of last week’s Ireland-Wales game, the similarities between these two sides were noted. But in truth, at least in terms of individual talent, the Welsh are superior to the Boys in Green. Martin O’Neill’s men have no one capable of hitting the levels of Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale or Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, while even a lesser player in Stoke midfielder Joe Allen managed to look more technically accomplished than anyone in green last week.
With Iceland though, you genuinely get the sense that it is essentially like for like that O’Neill’s men are coming up against. Just as Ireland did, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side significantly overachieved at Euro 2016 before being beaten by a superior French team.
The two sides’ styles of play are quite similar. Both favour a direct approach that is reliant more on hard work and team ethic than individual talent, with midfield often by-passed in favour of long balls. Indeed, Iceland, with a population of a little over 300,000, have arguably maximised their potential even more so than Martin O’Neill’s men have tended to do in the past.
Of course, with the two sides missing key players going into this game, neither are likely to in any way resemble the teams that took to the field last summer.
Not that this game will necessarily be a dead rubber or pointless though, with backup players keen to impress, while a win would aid either side’s Uefa coefficient, which could be of some significance for future qualification groups.
Moreover, back in November 2014, Ireland played another supposedly meaningless friendly, beating USA 4-1 at home. Before then, Robbie Brady had failed to start any of Ireland’s opening four Euro 2016 qualifiers. But since his memorable brace at the Aviva that night, the Burnley star has been a virtual ever-present in the Irish side. Can a current fringe player make a similar impact tonight?
4. Could Hourihane be Hoolahan’s long-term successor?
When asked about Conor Hourihane’s hopes of making future Ireland squads last November, Roy Keane was typically plain-spoken: “He probably needs to do a touch more — and I mean that in all aspects of his game,” the assistant boss commented.
Fast forward just a few months and Hourihane is where he wants to be all of a sudden.
In the intervening period between Ireland’s last game in Austria and tonight’s match with Iceland, the Bandon-born midfielder consolidated his hero status at Barnsley with further impressive displays before sealing a move to Championship rivals Aston Villa in the January transfer window.
But whether he has rather suddenly gone up considerably in Keane and O’Neill’s estimation is uncertain. It could well be, as harsh as it sounds, that Hourihane is only in the final Ireland squad by default. His chances were undoubtedly helped by as many as 10 players having to withdraw from contention through injury, while the departure of four more senior players following the Wales game is another boost to his hopes of winning a first international cap.
Like Boyle, Horgan and many others in the squad, Hourihane has had to emerge from relative obscurity to get to this point. Having starred alongside current Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in midfield for Sunderland’s 2008 FA Youth Cup run to the semi-finals, three years later, he found himself in the depths of League Two with Plymouth.
Should Hourihane get a chance to prove himself this evening, it will be interesting to see where he plays. In two and a half seasons with Barnsley, he managed an impressive 29 league goals and countless more assists from midfield. He has also hit the target once already for his new club and has developed a reputation for spectacular long-range goals in recent times (see video above).
Therefore, should he feature, it will be interesting to see if Hourihane plays in the advanced midfield role rather than at the base. Certainly, he would be more comfortable there than Jeff Hendrick looked on Friday night.
Wes Hoolahan will be 36 by the time the 2018 World Cup rolls around and while he was never the type of player whose primary assets were pace and power, Ireland cannot always afford to be ruing his absence through injury, as they were to an extent against Wales.
Hourihane looks like one potential successor to the Norwich man. The 26-year-old may lack Hoolahan’s exemplary close control and creativity, but he is arguably more dynamic and certainly more of a goal threat than the Dubliner. Whether he can fulfill his obvious potential remains to be seen, but it’s nights like this evening where he should surely be given the chance to prove his worth.
5. Due reward after fine 12 months for Brady
At international level at least, things could hardly have gone much better for Robbie Brady in 2016 — a silly yellow card in the team’s 1-0 win in Austria that left him suspended for last week’s Welsh encounter was one of the few low points in a seminal year for the former Manchester United youngster, who became Burnley’s record signing in the January transfer window.
Along with Jeff Hendrick, he was Ireland’s best player at Euro 2016, scoring the famous goal in the 1-0 defeat of Italy.
His success was encapsulated by the fact that he cleaned up at the recent FAI awards, winning goal of the year, young player of the year and senior player of the year, and his guile and expert set-piece delivery was badly missed as Ireland laboured in attack during last Friday’s World Cup qualifier.
Of the players currently left in the squad, only Callum O’Dowda, Daryl Horgan, Jeff Hendrick, John Egan and Cyrus Christie are younger than Brady, so for the Dubliner to be made team captain for tonight’s clash is a phenomenal achievement and one that few would argue with.
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5 Ireland players we’d like to see get a chance against Iceland>
Robbie Brady makes a young fan’s day and the look on his face is absolutely priceless>
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Analysis Martin O'Neill Seamus coleman Talking Points Iceland Ireland Republic