SOCCER U-21s: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND v GEORGIA:AFTER A sluggish start to their European Championship qualifying campaign, the Irish under-21s head into the first of two critical home games this evening looking to convert the chances they have been creating of late into goals and, ultimately, points.
AFTER A sluggish start to their European Championship qualifying campaign, the Irish under-21s head into the first of two critical home games this evening looking to convert the chances they have been creating of late into goals and, ultimately, points.
“There are good individuals in the squad and I think we’ve been playing good football,” says versatile Birmingham City player Jay O’Shea ahead of tonight’s clash with Georgia in Tallaght, which will be followed, on Tuesday, with a game against Switzerland at the RSC.
“I think if we took the chances that we create we’d be a great team. Even out in Estonia (where the Irish drew 1-1 against the group leaders) we hit the bar and post three times. It could have been 5-1 to us because we created some great chances. And I think if we create the same sort of chances in these games then we’ll win both of them.”
Much as O’Shea wants to do well over the coming days, he still comes across as a man who has to pinch himself to be sure recent events in his club career have happened.
Having spent time in the League of Ireland with Bray and Galway United, he moved to Birmingham City just before the new English season got under way in August and, to his amazement, found himself playing a part in the opening game of the campaign at Old Trafford just six days later.
“It was the stuff that dreams are made of,” he says. “I signed on the Monday and didn’t think I’d be in the squad. So I called me Ma to come over for the weekend in Birmingham. Then, on the Friday, I was told I’d be in the squad so I got my Mam at ticket for the game. It was unbelievable.”
Alex McLeish had said that week he saw O’Shea as one for the longer-term future, which only added to the surprise when he made the squad of 18 for the game. But on reflection, O’Shea admits, there was at least one clue at training to his impending elevation. “Yeah,” he says, as he explodes into an infectious grin, “there were only 18 players there!”
Making the bench was one thing, but O’Shea was confident that would be the height of it and not all that unhappy about it. “Well, I didn’t think I was going on so I was just enjoying the day. I was warming up alongside Giggs, Owen and Anderson. I didn’t get nervous because I didn’t think I’d be getting on, I was just delighted to be there.
“Then, it just happened so quick. I didn’t have time to be nervous, I was warming up and then next minute I was on the pitch. It was amazing.”
Momentarily, when asked how he feels he got on, he comes over all serious. “All right,” he says quietly. “We do ProZone, and I think I had 100 per cent pass completion. I think I was the only player who goes to Old Trafford and gets that. I was happy with that.”
Gently pressed about how many passes the statistic was based on, the veneer cracks and he’s all smiles again. “Two!”
A couple of months on and things have calmed down for the Dubliner, but he is more than happy with his start to life in the English top flight.
“I love it,” he says. “It’s happened so quick and I think the fact that I made my debut so quickly helps. I’ve been playing the (League) Cup games since, and on the bench nearly every week except for two. I’m doing well and enjoying every minute.
“But I keep it up,” he adds. “I think if I had gone over and not played I could have been happy to be there or thereabouts, but having made an appearance you just want to make as many games as you can.”
First, there’s business to be attended to here at home.
Venue
: Tallaght Stadium Kick-off: Tonight, 7.45pm
