O'Brien Gets Ireland Call

By Mark Heys
August 8 2005

Bolton midfielder Joey O'Brien has been called up by the Republic of Ireland U21 team for their Irish derby with Northern Ireland on 16th August.

The 19-year old is selected in the 18-man squad for next weeks all Irish showdown, which will come just three days after the Wanderers Premiership opener away to Aston Villa.

O'Brien spent the most part of the last campaign out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday but is now heavily involved with the Bolton first team squad as has been demonstrated throughout the pre-season tours of the Far-East.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 SQUAD: Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa), Saul Deeney (Notts County), Stephen Kelly (Tottenham Hotspur), Kevin Foley (Luton Town), Paddy McCarthy (Leicester City), John Fitzgerald (Bury), Stephen Paisley (Longford Town), Alan Sheehan (Leicester City), Willo Flood (Manchester City), Darren Potter (Liverpool), Glenn Whelan (Sheffield Wednesday), Joey O’Brien (Bolton Wanderers), David Bell (Rushden and Diamonds), Aidan McGeady (Celtic), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Daryl Murphy (Sunderland), Jay Tabb (Brentford), Roy O’Donovan (Cork City).