THE POST-SHAY GIVEN era begins in Belgrade on Wednesday evening and, as expected, Keiren Westwood has been named to start in goal for Ireland.
John O’Shea will captain the Irish side for the friendly encounter with Serbia.
He is partnered in the centre of defence by Darren O’Dea, with Paul McShane at right-back and Stephen Kelly on the left.
Youth has been given a chance in the Irish midfield with James McCarthy and Glen Whelan in the centre and James McClean and Aiden McGeady taking up positions on the wings.
Jon Walters and Shane Long will start up front.
Republic of Ireland: Westwood, McShane, O’Shea (c), O’Dea, Kelly, Mcgeady, McCarthy, Whelan, McClean, Walters, Long.
More to follow…
Would love to see him in a Director of Hurling type role. His philosophy on the game and the type of hurling he preaches is exactly where the game needs to be moving.
Nice touch from the Tipp County Board in the way they thanked their man, Cork CB please take note for future statements
Found O’Shea and his players to be very humble in their defeat, the spread was 5 or 6 points. Would be a great for a weaker county if they could snap him up, Laois or Offaly springs to mind.
Laois already have one of the best managers in the game. They might not have the players but that ain’t the manager’s fault.
Laois have the players……but Laois style of play is extremely bad and serious.
Is quite a statement, don’t normally see these things go so ‘passionate’. He did seem to come across in interviews that he was thinking deeper about how he wanted things to be played. In terms of trophies he won’t go down as ‘an all time great’ manager, but if you believe the statement the foundations for success are built, he might get more praise if the trophies start to flow
2 all Ireland’s we won in 14 years! bad tour around for a talented squad
Séamus Callanan’s post-match reaction last Sunday suggesting Tipp’s players would ‘die on the field’ for O’Shea.
Callanan had explained how the NUIG Professor was much more than just a hurling manager to the group.