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When's The Last Time Your English Premier League Team Had A Player In the Irish Team?

John Dodge
By John Dodge
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The Republic of Ireland team that beat Georgia last week featured twelve players who play in England's Premier League. That's more than most Irish teams in recent seasons but nine of them played with just three teams; Hull City, Stoke City and Everton.  So we looked into the last time each of the current PL teams were represented in the Irish senior team.  Here they are ranked from most recent onwards

Everton - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

Everton have a strong tradition in Ireland and they currently have four members of Martin O'Neill's squad. Aiden McGeady, Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy all played against Georgia but Darron Gibson is back in the fold too. They recently signed striker Sam Byrne from Manchester United too so hopefully more to come.

Stoke City - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

Stoke have four Irish first team regulars and Glenn Whelan, Jon Walters and Marc Wilson all played against Georgia.  Stephen Ireland's long and tortuous relationship with the national team is well documented too.

Hull City - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

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Four first team regulars for Hull too. Stephen Quinn, Dave Myler and Robbie Brady played against Georgia while Paul McShane hasn't played in a year for Ireland. With Brian Lenihan signing from Cork City recently, Hull's five Irish born players is the largest amount among any club in the EPL.

Southampton - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

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New signing Shane Long became the first Southampton player in ten years to play for the Irish senior team recently. The last man to do so was Rory Delap. As Southampton have drifted up and down the leagues in that time-frame, plenty of Irish have played with the club but none at senior international level (at the same time).

Sunderland - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

Plenty of Irishmen with Sunderland in recent years (including several in the current squad) but their only representative at the moment is John O'Shea who has also captained club and country.

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Burnley - 7 September 2014 v Georgia

Stephen Ward became only the second Burnley player to play for the Republic of Ireland senior team last week.  The first was Keith Treacy in 2011. Ward is joined in the Burnley squad by former international Stephen Reid and Keith Long.

Crystal Palace - 3 September 2014 v Oman

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Kevin Doyle is the man responsible here having just signed for the Eagles. He joins Damian Delaney (a recent international) and Paddy McCarthy in the squad.

Newcastle United - 3 September 2014 v Oman

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Rob Elliot has two caps for Ireland. That's the same amount of PL appearances he made last season as Newcastle's sub keeper. He was the first international since late 2000s hey-day of Duff, Givens and Carr.

Aston Villa - 3 September 2014 v Oman

Shay Given's return to the international fold leaves Aston Villa with 2 players likely to be included in upcoming squad (Ciaran Clark is the other). That number would be three if Jack Grealish would make up his mind. Enda Stevens is back in the squad after spending last year out on loan.

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Leicester City - 19 November 2013 v Poland

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Sean St Ledger is the last Leicester player to play for Ireland and he's no longer with the team. The only Irishman in the squad is goalkeeper Conrad Logan and he's on loan with League One side Rochdale.

West Bromwich Albion - 19 November 2013 v Poland

Shane Long makes his 2nd appearance in this list with his previous club here. Ireland under 21 international Bradley Garmston is the only Irishman in the WBA squad at the moment.

Queen's Park Rangers - 15 October 2013 v Kazakhstan

Richard Dunne is responsible here. The national hero has now retired from international football so probably won't be adding to the tally soon. Goalkeeper Brian Murphy continues to not play for QPR outside the League Cup and not play for Ireland when he gets his occasional call-up.

West Ham United - 11 September 2012 v Oman

Sam Allardyce's lovechild Joey O'Brien continues to plug away in the Premier League. Despite making his Irish debut in 2006 (then with Allardyce's Bolton), he's only earned five international caps; the last of those in 2012 in London. He's the sole Irishman in the West Ham squad.

Manchester United -  11 September 2012 v Oman

Robbie Brady's sole appearance with the Irish side as a Man Utd player. He went on loan to Hull City shortly after and never came back. Before him there was Darron Gibson and John O'Shea. United have had more Irish internationals than any club in England but have no Irish lads in the current squad

Tottenham Hotspur - 4 June 2011 v Macedonia

Robbie Keane was the last Spurs player to play for Ireland (shortly after returning from a loan spell with West Ham). There's no one in the current squad but Kenneth McEvoy is on loan to Peterborough.  Before Keane the last Irishmen were Stephen Carr, Gary Doherty  and Andy Reid.

Manchester City - 4 June 2011 v Macedonia

Another Shay Given appearance as the then Man City back-up helped Ireland on their way to Euro 2012. Before him there was Richard Dunne and, whisper it, Stephen Ireland. Young goalkeeper Ian Lawlor has yet to make a senior club appearance but was called into the Ireland squad last summer.

Liverpool - 15 October 2008 v Cyrpus

Robbie Keane only spent a few months at Liverpool but he did enough to be the last Irish international there. He overtook Steve Finnan. Before them you've to go back to the turn of the millennium to see Phil Babb and Steve Staunton appear. Richie Partridge is the only player close to adding a third Irish Liverpool Premier League player in the last 14 years.

Arsenal - 26 May 2007 v Bolivia

Joe O'Cearuill's footnote in Irish history is being the last Arsenal player to play for the Republic of Ireland senior team. His two caps being two more than the amount of times he played for Arsenal. Before O'Cearuill was Graham Barrett in 2002 (his only cap) but the last Arsenal/ROI (somewhat) regular is Eddie McGoldrick in the mid-90s. No one currently in squad.

Chelsea - 25 June 2006 v Chile

Damian Duff is one of only three Chelsea players to play for the Republic of Ireland in the last 25 years. Andy Townsend and Tony Cascirino  are the others. Nick Colgan is the only other Irishman to play for Chelsea in the Premier League (once). Chelsea youth player Conor Clifford was called up to the Irish squad in 2012 but didn't play. He's now with Southend and Chelsea lack any Irish players in first team squad.

Swansea City - 25 October 1964 v Poland

Over 40 years behind the rest of the Premier League, Swansea's last Irish international was goalkeeper Noel Dwyer in the early 1960s. He's one of only four Irish internationals following the late 1940s trio of Kevin Clarke, Rory Keane and Jackie O'Driscoll. Former Irish International Tom Butler was the last Irishman to play for Swansea 3 years ago.

So that's them all. Over two years since anyone playing for Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham or, eh, Swansea has played for the Republic of Ireland senior team. Those barren runs don't look like ending any time soon either.

 

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