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Aaron McEneff has impressed for Derry this season. Presseye/Lorcan Doherty/INPHO

Northern Ireland underage international set to switch allegiance to the Republic - reports

Aaron McEneff is expected to follow the likes of James McClean, Shane Duffy and Marc Wilson in making the move.

DERRY CITY MIDFIELDER AARON McEneff is set to switch allegiance from Northern Ireland to the Republic, according to reports.

The midfielder has represented Northern Ireland at underage level, but according to the Londonderry Sentinel, McEneff is waiting for paperwork to finalise his switch.

The 21-year-old Derry native signed a professional contract with Tottenham in 2014, but ultimately failed to earn a first-team spot after an injury-troubled stint at the London club, before joining the League of Ireland side last summer.

Since returning to his home town, McEneff has caught the eye, scoring two goals in 17 starts this season and helping Derry rise to third in the Airtricity League Premier Division.

Should the move be confirmed, McEneff will follow the path of James McClean, Shane Duffy and Marc Wilson among others in switching allegiance from the North to the Republic in recent years.

When contacted by The42, no one from Derry City was available for comment.

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34 Comments
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    Mute Gareth Ward
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    Jul 5th 2020, 9:36 AM

    Its very hard to judge players who played in the 30s when there is no footage of them. Mackay and lory meagher everyone knows about as being legends of the game. Mackay being one of the all time greats.
    But other than these 2 there is probably too many players from that era.
    I would definitely bring in dj, nicky rackard and Brian lohan. For nick oโ€™donnell, ray cummins and jim langton.

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Jul 5th 2020, 1:11 PM

    @Gareth Ward: what are you on about? You take out the only player in the team who played for the whole of the 70s and replace him with a player from โ€œthat eraโ€. You are as bitter as Griffin, who seems to think a Wexford team who won 6 all Irelandโ€™s in the century deserve more players that Cork, who won 24.

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    Mute Tom kenny
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    Jul 5th 2020, 1:30 PM

    @John Buckley: ray cummins wouldnโ€™t look out of place in todayโ€™s game.

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    Mute Gareth Ward
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:20 PM

    @John Buckley: Hahaha how am i bitter? I gave my opinion on it. Nicky rackard played in the 40s and 50s anyway. From what ive heard he was a phenomenal goalscorer, records prove that. Not knocking ray cummins at all, having seen him play i know how good he was. But i would just edge rackard ahead of him for his undoubted credentials.

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:35 PM

    @Gareth Ward: how can you make a judgement between the two when you have never seen Rackard play. His playing career overlapped 11 of the team.

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    Mute Gareth Ward
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:49 PM

    @John Buckley: Its a team of the millennium, ive literally only seen brian whelehan and cummins from the actual team. So i can only do what anyone else is doing and give wn opinion based on previous opinions and stats etc.

    Now rather than criticise my opinion, why dont you tell us what if any changes you would make to the team?

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Jul 5th 2020, 5:02 PM

    @Gareth Ward: who cares about your opinion; you have only seen 2 of the 15 play so you donโ€™t have the knowledge to change that team. The people who picked the team have seen both Cummins and Rackard play so are a lot more qualified to give their selection. Who am I to change their team.

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    Mute Gareth Ward
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    Jul 5th 2020, 6:24 PM

    @John Buckley: You are ridiculous. Im giving my opinion same as everyone else and you come along just to pick holes without actually giving your own take on it. My opinion is as valid as anyone else who wants to comment on the subject, as its an interesting topic. If you dont have an opinion why even bother commenting?

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Jul 5th 2020, 11:52 PM

    @Gareth Ward: you are not the same as everyone else because no one else gave an opinion. Everyone else had the humility to know the people who selected the team were more qualified to pick the team. Seeing only 2 of the 15 players play means any team you pick can be ignored.

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    Mute Gareth Ward
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    Jul 6th 2020, 8:58 AM

    @John Buckley: So what youโ€™re saying is only someone who is 145 years old can comment because they would be the only person who would be old enough to have seen every player. That would make for a very interesting debate wouldnt it?

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    Mute padraig whelton
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    Jul 5th 2020, 1:18 PM

    I am not old enough to go back beyond the mid 80โ€ฒs but having seen many of the recent re-runs of old matches on TG4 and Eir the best hurlers are from the 2000โ€ฒs onwards, especially that great Kilkenny team who would have at least 4 definites on it, Delaney, Walsh, Shefflin, Reid.

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    Mute Joe Kennedy
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    Jul 5th 2020, 1:29 PM

    @padraig whelton: team of the next millennium nominees so maybe!

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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:28 PM

    @Joe Kennedy:

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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:28 PM

    @Joe Kennedy: LOL

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    Mute Justin Cosgrove
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    Jul 5th 2020, 3:34 PM

    @Joe Kennedy: Everyone knows the team of the next millennium will be dominated by the hurling powerhouses of Samoa, Leitrim and Uzbekistan.

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    Mute Ronan Mc Namara
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    Jul 5th 2020, 10:56 AM

    John Connolly what a player, had the pleasure of seeing him play. Only guy I seen play on the team that was picked was Brian Whelahan he was fine hurler. Nice spread of counties on the team that was picked.

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Jul 5th 2020, 5:08 PM

    Players gained reputations in different generations. Just watched the โ€™73 final on TG4 and it was a tough day for hurling but only 3 or 4 players looked like they could hold their own today.
    Imagine going back to the 30s or 40s and how different the game would have been.
    These teams are selected on reputation only.
    Loughnane denigrated DJ for his own ends, he damaged his reputation and done in his chances.
    Itโ€™s all the more surprising that Rackard was omitted because by reputation he was up there with Ring and Mackey and the Doyles.
    Youโ€™d have to conclude that there was a โ€˜home townโ€™ agenda at play.

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    Mute Tom Turnip
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    Jul 6th 2020, 3:12 PM

    If that team was picked again, what changes would be made? Well obviously the full foward would be Johnny Maher.

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