DONEGAL WAS WELL-REPRESENTED as the Republic of Ireland squad left for Euro 2016 in France this afternoon.
The Irish party will be based at Versailles initially, ahead of their opening Group E fixture against Sweden at the Stade de France in Paris on Monday. Martin O’Neill’s team then take on Belgium in Bordeaux on Saturday, June 18 and then travel to Lille to play Italy on Wednesday, June 22.
Photo caption: The Republic of Ireland squad and management about to board the plane to Paris for Euro 2016 this afternoon in Dublin. Photo:Â Dave Maher / Sportsfile
From a Donegal perspective, there’s some natives and others who have qualified as a consequence of their ancestry.
Seamus Coleman: Killybegs native Seamus Coleman joined Sligo Rovers from his local St Catherine’s club in 2006 and within three years had been snapped up by Everton in the Premier League. Coleman was loaned to Blackpool in 2009/10 and helped them win the Championship play-offs.
Coleman made his Ireland debut in February, 2011, against Wales in the Carling Cup but was not named in the squad for Euro 2012. However, on his 25th birthday he captained Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in Cologne and is Martin O’Neill’s first choice right-back. He has 33 caps heading to France.
Now 27, Coleman was named on the Premier League Team of the Season in 2013/14 and has reportedly been attracting the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs such as Paris Saint Germain, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester United.
[adrotate group=”72″]Shay Given: A native of Lifford, 40-year-old Given was at Celtic as a teenager before signing for Blackburn Rovers. He helped Sunderland, whilst on loan, to promotion in 1996 – the same year he made his Republic of Ireland debut. Given spent 12 years at Newcastle United and was firmly established as Ireland’s first choice goalkeeper for the 2002 World Cup.
In 2009, Given joined Manchester City but despite a fine start to life at Eastlands, was eventually displaced between the sticks by Joe Hart. Given joined Aston Villa in 2011 and opted to retire from international football following Euro 2012.
Currently at Stoke City – having also been on loan at Middlesborough – Given returned to the fold for the home qualifier against Poland last March but lost his place to Darren Randolph when forced off against Germany through injury last October. Made his 134th appearance for Ireland against Belarus in Cork last week.
[adrotate group=”73″]Shane Duffy: Derry-born Duffy – whose father Brian is from Letterkenny – played Under-16 for Northern Ireland and was first capped by the Republic of Ireland in 2014 against Costa Rica in an end of season friendly in Philadelphia. The central defender didn’t make a second international appearance until this spring but did enough towards the end of the season to make Martin O’Neill’s 23-man squad for Euro 2016.
On his first appearance in Dublin for the senior team, Duffy put in a fine showing against Slovakia.
Having joined Everton from Maiden City in 2008, Duffy, now 24, spent time on loan at Burnley, Scunthorpe and Yeovil Town before joining Blackburn Rovers in 2014.
[adrotate group=”71″]Ciaran Clark: The London-born Aston Villa defender played with both legs of the Euro 2016 play-off win over Bosnia and Herzegovina – having represented England until Under-20 level before making his Irish senior debut in 2011 – and is the grandson of the late Vera Clark, originally from Milford.
His father Michael was born in Edinburgh when his family were working in Scotland for a time. The Clarks have sizable extended family that includes the McGinleys, Lynaghs, McMonagles, Sweeneys and McCuskers. Clark might yet attract interest from Premier League suitors following Villa’s relegation.
[adrotate group=”69″]Aidan McGeady: McGeady is the grandson of Patrick McGeady from Glassagh, Derrybeg, and Kitty ‘Tim’ from Bunaninver is his grandmother. And although Aiden McGeady played Scotland Schoolboys at Under-13 level, he declined a Scotland Under-16 call-up and chose to represent the country of his grandparents.
Having played for Celtic, McGeady from Castlemilk, Glasgow, made his Irish senior debut against Jamaica in 2004 and remains part of Martin O’Neill’s squad, with 79 caps to his name. Club-wise, McGeady, now 29, played for Celtic till 2010 and then spent four years in Russia with Spartak Moscow. He was on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Everton late last season but joined up with Martin O’Neill’s squad before their Championship play-off final loss to Hull City.
[adrotate group=”67″]James McCarthy: McCarthy, the Everton midfielder from Castlemilk, Glasgow, is the grandson of Paddy Coyle, who hailed from Doire na Mainsear, Annagry. McCarthy made his debut as a 15-year-old from Hamilton Academical in 2006.
He was named SFA Young Player of the Year in 2009, the year he signed for Premier League Wigan Athletic and won the FA Cup in 2013 when the Latics overcame Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley. Following Wigan’s relegation McCarthy joined Everton.
He made his Ireland debut against Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in 2010 and now 25, has 35 senior caps to his name. Has been carrying a knock of late but is in line to start against Sweden on Monday.
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