League of Ireland XI

League of Ireland XI
Association Football Association of Ireland
Head coach Damien Richardson 2010-
Home stadium Dalymount Park 1924–1987
Aviva Stadium 2010–
First colours
Second colours
First international
Republic of Ireland League of Ireland XI 3–3 Welsh Football League XI Wales , (Dalymount Park, Ireland; 19 February 1924)
Biggest defeat
Scotland Scottish Football League XI 11–0 League of Ireland XI Republic of Ireland, (Celtic Park, Glasgow; 28 November 1962)

The League of Ireland XI, more recently referred to as the Airtricity League XI for sponsorship reasons, is the representative team of the League of Ireland, the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. For much of its history, the League of Ireland XI has effectively acted as a reserve or B team to the senior Republic of Ireland national team, providing international representative honours to home-based players. In fact it has played considerably more games than the actual Republic of Ireland B national football team. In addition to playing regular games against similar representative teams, such as the Irish League XI, the Scottish Football League XI and the Football League XI, the League of Ireland XI has also played in prestige friendlies against the full national teams of both Argentina and Brazil. The League of Ireland XI also represented Ireland in the qualifying stages of the 1988 Olympic Football Tournament. More recently a League of Ireland U-23 XI has represented the Republic of Ireland in the International Challenge Trophy. Meanwhile, a senior team with no age or nationality restriction regularly plays visiting club sides. More recently the team competed in the 2011 Dublin Super Cup

History

1920s and 1930s

During the 1920s and 1930s, the four national associations that made up the International Football Association Board (IFAB)– The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales and Northern Ireland's Irish Football Association – refused to recognise the rights of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) when it came arranging full internationals. Consequently, the FAI could not arrange full internationals against its nearest neighbours. The IFAB, however, did permit inter-league games to be played. In the absence of full internationals against England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, these inter-league matches between the League of Ireland XI, the Irish League XI, the Welsh Football League XI and the Scottish Football League XI were highly regarded by both the FAI and Irish football fans alike. Attendances of up to 30,000 at these matches at Dalymount Park led them to have been treated almost as full internationals.

The League of Ireland XI made their official debut with a 3–3 draw against a Welsh Football League XI on 19 February 1924. Ernie MacKay scored the representative team's first ever goal while Dave Roberts added the other two. The League of Ireland XI played the Irish League XI for the first time on 13 March 1926. Charlie Dowdall scored twice in a 3–1 win for the home team. On St. Patrick's Day, 1937, a League of Ireland XI also played and defeated a visiting Yugoslav League XI 3–2. The League of Ireland XI played the Scottish League XI for the first time on St. Patrick's Day, 1939. The Scottish team was billed as a team of all-stars and had a combined valuation estimated to be £60,000. In front of a crowd of 35,000 at Dalymount Park, the League of Ireland XI defeated the Scottish League XI with Johnny Johnstone and Paddy Bradshaw scoring the goals in the 2–1 win [1][2][3]

National Team

The League of Ireland XI has always enjoyed a close relationship with the senior Republic of Ireland national team. When Ireland competed at both the 1924 and 1948 Olympic Football Tournaments, they were represented by League of Ireland XIs made up of amateur players. On at least three further occasions before the Second World War, the FAI selected a full international team entirely made up of players playing in Ireland. On 21 March 1926, for the game against Italy,[4] the Ireland team even featured Drumcondra’s Joe Grace from the Leinster Senior League. It was a League of Ireland XI that played Belgium on 12 February 1928[5] and then the Netherlands on 8 December 1935.[6] Before the Second World War, League of Ireland players made up the nucleus of just about every FAI Ireland full international team.

Post-Second World War

For most of the Second World War era, the League of Ireland XI's only opponents were the Irish League XI. However once the conflict ended, the fixture against the Scottish League XI was revived. They also began to play the Football League XI on a regular basis. With the majority of the leading Irish players now playing in the Football League, however, the League of Ireland XI now found itself at a disadvantage. As a result, the majority of the games they played against the Scottish League XI and the Football League XI usually ended in heavy defeat. However, there was the occasional success story. On 2 October 1963 at Dalymount Park, the League of Ireland XI defeated the Football League XI 2–1, thanks to goals from Eddie Bailham and Ronnie Whelan. This Football League XI included four players – Ray Wilson, Bobby Moore, Roger Hunt and Martin Peters – who subsequently went on to help England win the 1966 FIFA World Cup.[7] At the time Whelan was working for Unidaire, a Finglas-based electrical firm. Whelan subsequently received a warning from his boss at Unidaire for taking time off to play in this game.[8]

Prestige Friendlies

From the late 1970s onwards, the League of Ireland XI also began to play friendlies against national teams. These included two prestige games against the full Argentina national team. On 19 April 1978, at the Estadio Alberto J. Armando, Argentina played the League of Ireland XI in a warm up game as part of their preparations for hosting the 1978 FIFA World Cup. A team that included the former England international Bobby Tambling and several Republic of Ireland internationals such as Johnny Giles, Ray Treacy, Eamonn Gregg, Noel Synnott, Cathal Muckian, Jerome Clark and Synan Braddish lost 3–1 to a very strong Argentina. The starting eleven for Argentina included ten players who later played in the 1978 FIFA World Cup Final. In addition a young Diego Maradona also came on as a substitute. Leopoldo Luque, Oscar Ortiz and Ricardo Villa scored for Argentina before Synan Braddish grabbed a consolation goal for the league select.[9][10] On 29 May 1979, Argentina, then the reigning World Cup holders, visited Lansdowne Road and were held to a 0–0 draw by a Republic of Ireland XI in a UNICEF fundraiser. This team is sometimes incorrectly listed as a League of Ireland XI.[11] 30 April 1980 saw the League of Ireland XI play Argentina for a second time, this time at the Estadio Monumental. On this occasion, a team that included Liam Buckley, Terry Eviston, Johnny Walsh and Tommy McConville lost 1–0 to a goal scored by Diego Maradona. A month later, Argentina beat the senior Republic of Ireland 1–0 at Lansdowne Road.[7] [12]

In another notable game from this era, the League of Ireland XI also became the first representative team to play the Basque Country following the ending of the Francoist regime. This game was played on 16 August 1979 at the San Mamés Stadium. The Basque team was made up of Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao players and all eleven subsequently became full Spain internationals. In contrast the league select was under strength and was referred to in newspaper reports as a League of Ireland B team. The Basque Country team easily defeated this League of Ireland XI 4–1.[13][14] In 1981 the League of Ireland XI returned to South America and this time played Brazil. A team managed by Jim McLaughlin lost 6–0 with the legendary Zico scoring four of Brazil’s goals.[15]

Olympic qualifiers

League of Ireland XIs made up of amateur players represented Ireland in qualifiers for the 1960, 1972, 1976 and 1980 Olympic Football Tournaments. For the 1988 Olympic Football Tournament qualifiers a senior League of Ireland XI featuring professionals represented Ireland. They were drawn in a “group of death” that also included Hungary, Sweden, Spain and France. France had won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Football Tournament. This League of Ireland XI was again managed by Jim McLaughlin. The team kicked off their Olympic campaign with a 2–1 defeat against Hungary at Glenmalure Park on November 11, 1986. Their next opponents were Spain at Tolka Park on February 4, 1987. Goals from Noel Larkin and Mick Byrne saw the League of Ireland XI draw 2–2. Their first away games came against Sweden and France. The League of Ireland XI lost 1–0 to Sweden after they conceded a very late goal but managed to hold France to a 1–1 draw. On August 26, 1987 a crowd of less than 1,000 saw the League of Ireland XI lose 1–0 at Dalymount Park to a Sweden team that included Thomas Brolin.

Next came the home match against France on 18 November 1987 at Dalymount Park. A crowd of just 4,000 would witness one of the League of Ireland XI's best results. Two goals from Mick Bennett and one from Peter Eccles saw them gain a 3–0 win. Ireland finished the qualifying group with two away games. Dave Barry scored in Hungary but the League of Ireland XI lost 3–1 while goals from Barry Kehoe and Bennett earned them a 2–2 with Spain in Alicante. The League of Ireland XI finished fourth in the group. Sweden qualified for the finals where they were knocked out in the quarter finals.[16]

Group C Final Table

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Sweden 8611136+713
2  Hungary 8512138+511
3  Spain 8143912−36
4 Republic of Ireland League of Ireland XI 81341012−25
5  France 8134916−75

[17]

1988 Marlboro Cup

In August 1988, the League of Ireland XI competed in the Marlboro Cup, a four team tournament, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They lost their first game 3–0 against Club Universidad de Guadalajara on 5 August, with Mick Neville conceding an own goal. They then lost 1–0 to El Salvador in a third place playoff two days later. The tournament was won by Guatemala, who beat Club Universidad 3–2 in the final.[18]

Date Team #1 Result Team #2 Round
August 5, 1988Mexico Club Universidad de Guadalajara3-0Republic of Ireland League of Ireland XISemi-finals
 El Salvador1–2 Guatemala
August 7, 1988 El Salvador1-0Republic of Ireland League of Ireland XI Third Place Match
 Guatemala3–2Mexico Club Universidad de GuadalajaraFinal

Aviva Stadium

Manchester United

On 4 August 2010, the League of Ireland XI hosted the first soccer match to be played at the Aviva Stadium. A team managed by Damien Richardson lost 7–1 to Manchester United. The league select were 6-0 down after 70 minutes, with goals from Park Ji-sung (2), Michael Owen, Javier Hernández, Antonio Valencia and Jonny Evans. Park opened the scoring in the 13th minute in bizarre fashion; as he went to block a defender's clearance, the ball ricocheted off him and into the net. Owen doubled United's lead in the 25th minute with a chipped shot over the goalkeeper, before half-time substitute Hernández made it 3–0 two minutes after the break. Three goals in the space of nine minutes from Valencia (60th minute), a second from Park (63rd) and Jonny Evans (69th) increased the lead to 6–0, before Dave Mulcahy scored a consolation goal for the League of Ireland XI in the 78th minute. Nevertheless, there was still time for Nani to get a seventh goal, converting a penalty after Hernández had been fouled in the penalty area.[19][20][21][22]

Dublin Super Cup

Damien Richardson was again in charge of the League of Ireland XI when the Aviva Stadium hosted the 2011 Dublin Super Cup, a tournament which saw the representative team take on both Manchester City and Celtic. Shamrock Rovers players, however, were not available because of a clash with the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off rounds. As a result, Richardson had to field an understrength team. They lost their opening game to Manchester City 3–0. They then lost 5–0 to Celtic. The League of Ireland XI were the only team in the tournament that didn't win any match or score any goals.[23]

League of Ireland XI matches

Date Opponents Result Score Competition Venue Attendance
19/02/1924Welsh Football League XI D3–3friendlyDalymount Park
14/03/1925Welsh Football League XIL1–2friendlyDalymount Park17000
07/11/1925Welsh Football League XID2–2friendlySwansea
13/03/1926 Irish League XI W3–1friendlyDalymount Park18000
05/03/1927 Irish League XID1–1friendlyWindsor Park15000
02/04/1927Welsh Football League XIL1–2friendlyDalymount Park7000
10/03/1928Irish League XIW3–1friendlyShelbourne Park12000
06/10/1928Welsh Football League XIW4–3friendly
09/03/1929Irish League XIL1–2friendlyThe Oval15000
01/03/1930Irish League XIL1–6friendlyDalymount Park12000
03/05/1930Welsh Football League XIL1–6friendlySwansea
18/03/1935Welsh Football League XIW2–1friendly [24]
17/03/1937Yugoslav League XIW3–2friendlyDalymount Park
17/03/1938Irish League XIL1–3friendlyDalymount Park30000
11/03/1939Irish League XIW2–1friendlyWindsor Park11000
17/03/1939Scottish Football League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park35000
18/03/1940Irish League XIW2–0friendlyDalymount Park26000
28/04/1940Scottish Football League XIL2–3friendlyDalymount Park[25]
17/03/1941Irish League XIL3–8friendlyDalymount Park6000
14/04/1941Irish League XIL1–2friendlyWindsor Park25000
17/03/1942Irish League XID2–2friendlyDalymount Park31000
06/04/1942Irish League XIL2–5friendlyWindsor Park30000
17/03/1943Irish League XIL0–1friendlyDalymount Park28000
26/04/1943Irish League XID2–2friendlyWindsor Park21000
17/03/1944Irish League XIL3–4friendlyDalymount Park28000
10/04/1944Irish League XID2–2friendlyWindsor Park35000
17/03/1945Irish League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park36000
02/04/1945Irish League XIW5–3friendlyWindsor Park32000
18/03/1946Irish League XIL1–2friendlyDalymount Park37000
22/04/1946Irish League XIL0–3friendlyWindsor Park32000
17/03/1947Irish League XID2–2friendlyDalymount Park20000
07/04/1947Irish League XIW1–0friendlyWindsor Park30000
17/03/1948Irish League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park25000
29/03/1948Irish League XIL0–4friendlyWindsor Park
14/04/1948Football League XIL?-?friendlyDeepdale[26]
24/04/1948Scottish Football League XIL0–2friendlyDalymount Park25000
29/09/1948Scottish Football League XIL1–5friendlyIbrox Stadium57600
17/03/1949Irish League XID0–0friendlyDalymount Park20000
18/04/1949Irish League XIL1–4friendlyWindsor Park25000
19/10/1949Scottish Football League XIL0–1friendlyDalymount Park17000
17/03/1950Irish League XIW3–1friendlyDalymount Park18000
10/04/1950Irish League XID2–2friendlyWindsor Park10000
17/01/1951Scottish Football League XIL0–7friendlyCeltic Park10000
10/10/1951Football League XIL1–9friendlyGoodison Park[27]
17/03/1952Scottish Football League XIL0–2friendlyDalymount Park33000
08/10/1952Scottish Football League XIL1–5friendlyCeltic Park10000
17/03/1953Football League XIL0–2friendlyDalymount Park
22/04/1953Irish League XIL0–3friendlyDalymount Park16000
23/09/1953Welsh Football League XI W3–1friendlyDalymount Park
10/02/1954Football League XIL1–9friendlyMaine Road
17/03/1954Scottish Football League XIL1–3friendlyDalymount Park35000
19/04/1954Irish League XID0–0friendlyWindsor Park
02/05/1954HessenligaW1–0friendlyDalymount Park
22/09/1954Football League XIL0–6friendlyDalymount Park
18/11/1954Scottish Football League XIL0–5friendlyShawfield18000
17/03/1955Irish League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park30000
14/05/1955HessenligaL2–7friendlyFrankfurt
19/05/1955HessenligaL0–5friendlyKassel
21/09/1955Scottish Football League XIL2–4friendlyDalymount Park
07/12/1955Football League XIL1–5friendlyGoodison Park[28]
12/02/1956HessenligaW4–1friendlyDalymount Park
17/03/1956Irish League XIW1–0friendlyDalymount Park23000
02/04/1956Irish League XIL0–6friendlyWindsor Park20000
19/09/1956Football League XID3–3friendlyDalymount Park
26/09/1956Scottish Football League XIL1–3friendlyShawfield23000
18/03/1957Irish League XID2–2friendlyDalymount Park28000
22/04/1957Irish League XIW2–1friendlyWindsor Park15000
18/09/1957Scottish Football League XIL1–5friendlyDalymount Park23000
19/10/1957Football League XIL1–3friendlyElland Road
17/03/1958Irish League XID2–2friendlyDalymount Park32000
07/04/1958Irish League XIL1–3friendlySolitude Ground29000
24/09/1958Scottish Football League XIL0–1friendlyIbrox Stadium9000
29/10/1958Irish League XIW3–2friendlyWindsor Park5000
17/03/1959Football League XID0–0friendlyDalymount Park
02/09/1959Scottish Football League XIL1–4friendlyDalymount Park26000
04/11/1959Football League XIL0–2friendlyEwood Park
17/03/1960HessenligaW5–2friendlyDalymount Park
12/04/1960Irish League XIW2–1friendlyTolka Park8000
14/09/1960Football League XIL0–1friendlyDalymount Park
05/10/1960Scottish Football League XIL1–5friendlyCeltic Park23000
17/03/1961Irish League XIL2–3friendlyDalymount Park12000
03/04/1961Irish League XID1–1friendlySolitude Ground22000
06/09/1961Scottish Football League XID1–1friendlyDalymount Park6000
11/10/1961Football League XIL2–5friendlyEastville Stadium
17/03/1962Italian League BL0–3friendlyDalymount Park
04/04/1962Irish League XIL1–3friendlyWindsor Park4000
06/05/1962Italian League BL0–6friendlyRimini
28/11/1962Scottish Football League XIL0–11friendlyCeltic Park8000
18/03/1963Irish League XIL1–3friendlyDalymount Park15000
02/10/1963Football League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park30000
17/03/1964Irish League XIW4–2friendlyDalymount Park8000
15/04/1964Irish League XID2–2friendlyWindsor Park7000
23/09/1964Scottish Football League XID2–2friendlyDalymount Park25000
14/05/1965Irish League XIL1–0friendlyFlower Lodge3500
14/10/1965Football League XIL0–5friendlyBoothferry Park28283
07/09/1966Scottish Football League XIL0–6friendlyCeltic Park12000
22/03/1967Irish League XIL1–3friendlyWindsor Park6000
25/10/1967Irish League XIW3–2friendlyDalymount Park10000
08/11/1967Football League XIL2–7friendlyDalymount Park27000
04/09/1968Scottish Football League XID0–0friendlyDalymount Park25000
09/04/1969Irish League XIW2–1friendlyWindsor Park5000
10/09/1969Football League XIL0–3friendlyOakwell
17/03/1970Irish League XIL0–2friendlyDalymount Park10000
02/09/1970Scottish Football League XIL0–1friendlyCeltic Park7654
27/11/1970Australian League XIW1–0friendlyDalymount Park
22/09/1971Football League XIL1–2friendlyLansdowne Road
03/02/1972Italian League B D1–1friendlyDalymount Park
22/03/1973Italian League B L0–2friendlyCatanzaro
18/03/1974Irish League XIW3–2friendlyDalymount Park2000
01/12/1974Torpedo MoscowD0–0friendlyDalymount Park
19/08/1976Torino F.C.D0–0friendlyDalymount Park2,000
19/01/1977Italian League B L0–2friendlyUdine22,000
16/03/1977Italian League B W2–0friendlyOriel Park
21/09/1977Republic of IrelandL1–2friendlyDalymount Park
19/04/1978ArgentinaL1–3friendlyEstadio Alberto J. Armando
14/04/1979Italian League B L0–1friendlyMantua
23/06/1979Malaysia League XI L0–1friendlyKuala Lumpur 25,000
25/06/1979Singapore W4–1friendly
16/08/1979Basque CountryL1–4friendlySan Mamés Stadium 40,000
12/10/1979New Zealand XIW2–1friendlyTolka Park
17/03/1980Scottish Football League XIW2–1friendlyDalymount Park5000
30/04/1980Argentina L0–1friendlyEstadio Monumental
15/04/1981Irish League XIW1–0friendlyTolka Park2000
23/09/1981Brazil L0–6friendlyEstádio Rei Pelé 54,000[15]
08/05/1982New Zealand L0–1friendlyRotorua
09/05/1982New Zealand L0–1friendlyRotorua
12/05/1982New Zealand D0–0friendlyGisborne, New Zealand 12000
16/05/1982New Zealand W2–1friendlyDunedin
19/05/1982New Zealand L0–1friendlyInvercargill
27/04/1983Italian League B L0–2friendlyStadio Olimpico
20/08/1983Newcastle United L0–3friendlySt James' Park
14/02/1984Italian League B D0–0friendlyPadua
30/10/1984Irish League XIL0–4friendlyWindsor Park873
17/03/1986Irish League XIW2–1friendlyTolka Park1500
28/04/1986Iraq L0–1friendlyAl-Shaab Stadium25000
28/08/1986Saudi Arabia D1–1friendlyNational Stadium, Singapore
31/08/1986Saudi Arabia L0–3friendlyNational Stadium, Singapore
19/11/1986HungaryL1–2Olympic qualifierGlenmalure Park
04/02/1987SpainD2–2Olympic qualifierTolka Park
17/03/1987Irish League XIL1–2friendlyThe Showgrounds700
05/05/1987SwedenL0–1Olympic qualifierSolna
11/08/1987FranceD1–1 Olympic qualifierDunkirk
26/08/1987SwedenL0–1Olympic qualifierDalymount Park
18/11/1987FranceW3–0Olympic qualifierDalymount Park
04/05/1988HungaryL1–3Olympic qualifierBudapest
18/05/1988SpainD2–2Olympic qualifierAlicante
05/08/1988Club Universidad de GuadalajaraL0–3Marlboro CupLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
07/08/1988El SalvadorD0–1Marlboro CupLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
17/05/1989Irish League XIW3–0friendlyOriel Park500
18/06/1989EcuadorD1–1friendlyTrinidad
20/06/1989Trinidad and TobagoL0–1friendlyTrinidad
07/05/1990Irish League XIW1–0friendlyThe Oval500
19/11/1991Irish League XIL0–2friendlyTolka Park2000
17/07/1992Celtic F.C.L0–5friendlyTolka Park
18/07/1992Manchester CityL0–3friendlyTolka Park
23/07/1993Leeds UnitedD2–2friendlyTolka Park
06/08/1993Blackburn RoversL0–1friendlyTolka Park
17/08/1993Czechoslovakia XIL1–4friendlyTolka Park
19/08/1993LiverpoolL1–2friendlyLansdowne Road
07/10/1994Welsh Football League XIW2–0friendlyPorthmadog
08/11/1994IFK GöteborgW1–0friendlyTolka Park
07/03/1995Irish League XID1–1friendlyRichmond Park, 600
02/04/1996Welsh Football League XIL0–1friendlySt Colman's Park
05/06/1996Croatia XID2–2friendlyHunky Dorys Park
11/06/1996South Korea U-23D1–1friendlyAUL Complex
28/07/1996Manchester UnitedL1–4friendlyTolka Park7,720
25/02/1997England CW2–0friendlyRichmond Park
04/03/1997Welsh Football League XIW1–0friendlyLeckwith
17/03/1997Republic of Ireland BD1–1friendlyTolka Park
02/09/1997Republic of IrelandL0–3friendlyTolka Park
09/02/1999Republic of Ireland BL3–4friendlyCarlisle Grounds
01/11/2000Irish League XIL0–2friendlyTerryland Park350
04/08/2010Manchester UnitedL1–7friendlyAviva Stadium49,800[20][29]
30/07/2011Manchester CityL0–3Dublin Super CupAviva Stadium[30]
31/07/2011CelticL0–5Dublin Super CupAviva Stadium[31]

[17][32]

Recent squad

The following players were called up for the 2011 Dublin Super Cup[33][34]

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Republic of Ireland Gerard Doherty (1981-08-24)24 August 1981 (aged 29) Republic of Ireland Derry City
16 1GK Republic of Ireland Barry Murphy (1985-06-08)08 June 1985 (aged 26) Republic of Ireland Bohemians
2 2DF Republic of Ireland Owen Heary (1976-10-04)4 October 1976 (aged 34) Republic of Ireland Bohemians
4 2DF Republic of Ireland Aidan Price (1981-12-08)8 December 1981 (aged 29) Republic of Ireland Bohemians
5 2DF Republic of Ireland Ryan McBride (1989-12-15)15 December 1989 (aged 21) Republic of Ireland Derry City
6 2DF Republic of Ireland Ger O'Brien (1984-07-02)2 July 1984 (aged 27) Republic of Ireland Bohemians
14 2DF Northern Ireland Daniel Lafferty (1989-04-01)1 April 1989 (aged 22) Republic of Ireland Derry City
18 2DF Republic of Ireland Shane McEleney (1991-01-31)31 January 1991 (aged 20) Republic of Ireland Derry City
2DF Scotland Stewart Greacen (1982-03-31)31 March 1982 (aged 29) Republic of Ireland Derry City
2DF Republic of Ireland Simon Madden (1988-05-01)1 May 1988 (aged 23) Republic of Ireland Derry City
2DF Republic of Ireland Danny Murphy (1982-12-04)4 December 1982 (aged 28) Republic of Ireland Cork City
7 3MF Republic of Ireland Daniel Kearns (1991-08-26)26 August 1991 (aged 19) Republic of Ireland Dundalk
8 3MF Republic of Ireland Joe Gamble (1982-01-14)14 January 1982 (aged 29) Republic of Ireland Limerick
11 3MF Republic of Ireland James McClean (1989-04-22)22 April 1989 (aged 22) Republic of Ireland Derry City
12 3MF Northern Ireland Ruaidhri Higgins (1984-10-23)23 October 1984 (aged 26) Republic of Ireland Derry City
13 3MF England John Dillon (1991-08-26)26 August 1991 (aged 19) Republic of Ireland Sligo Rovers
15 3MF Northern Ireland Barry Molloy (1983-11-29)29 November 1983 (aged 27) Republic of Ireland Derry City
17 3MF England Dean Bennett (1977-12-13)13 December 1977 (aged 33) Republic of Ireland Dundalk
19 3MF Republic of Ireland John Russell (1985-05-18)18 May 1985 (aged 26) Republic of Ireland Sligo Rovers
20 3MF Republic of Ireland Stephen McLaughlin (1990-06-14)14 June 1990 (aged 21) Republic of Ireland Derry City
21 3MF Republic of Ireland Gareth McGlynn (1982-10-29)29 October 1982 (aged 28) Republic of Ireland Derry City
23 3MF England Danny Ventre (1986-01-23)23 January 1986 (aged 25) Republic of Ireland Sligo Rovers
9 4FW Republic of IrelandLibya Eamon Zayed (1983-10-04)04 October 1983 (aged 27) Republic of Ireland Derry City
10 4FW Republic of Ireland Daryl Kavanagh (1986-08-11)11 August 1986 (aged 24) Republic of Ireland St Patrick's Athletic
22 4FW Republic of Ireland Jason Byrne (1978-02-23)23 February 1978 (aged 33) Republic of Ireland Dundalk

Non-Irish players

Throughout the history of the League of Ireland, the vast majority of the players have come from either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Consequently, the League of Ireland XI has largely been made up of Irish players. However, there has always been a contingent of non-Irish players and, right from the beginning, they have been selected to play for the League of Ireland XI. Dave Roberts from England scored twice in the teams very first game. Another English-born player, Johnny Matthews, scored a penalty against Gordon Banks when the League of Ireland XI played the Football League XI in 1971 at Lansdowne Road. Like Roberts and Matthews most of these non-Irish players have come from Great Britain but some have come from further afield.

References

  1. ↑ www.fai.ie
  2. ↑ Donal Cullen: Freestaters – The Republic of Ireland Soccer Team 1921–1939
  3. ↑ www.londonhearts.com
  4. ↑ www.soccerscene.ie
  5. ↑ www.soccerscene.ie
  6. ↑ www.soccerscene.ie
  7. 1 2 foot.ie/archive
  8. ↑ Balls Remembers The Night The League Of Ireland Beat The English Football League
  9. ↑ www.irishtimes.com
  10. ↑ "Bobby Tambling: The Other Blue" by Shane Murphy, first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme, from the Waterford United website
  11. ↑ www.irishtimes.com
  12. ↑ www.rsssf.com
  13. ↑ Basque Country (Euskadi) Autonomous Team Matches
  14. ↑ www.irishtimes.com
  15. 1 2 www.rsssfbrasil.com
  16. ↑ Donal Cullen: “When the LOI fried the French” You Boys In Green
  17. 1 2 www.rsssf.com
  18. ↑ www.rsssf.com
  19. ↑ Coppack, Nick (4 August 2010). "Ireland XI 1 United 7". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  20. 1 2 "Red Devils to face Airtricity League XI". RTÉ Sport. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2010-05-12. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  21. ↑ "Airtricity League 1–7 Man Utd", BBC Sport, Dublin, 4 August 2010.
  22. ↑ www.fai.ie
  23. ↑ www.airtricityleague.ie
  24. ↑ www.irishtimes.com
  25. ↑ www.scottishleague.net
  26. ↑ Irish Independent March 31, 1948
  27. ↑ "Easy Win For The Football League". The Times. 11 October 1951. p. 9.
  28. ↑ "Football League Should Beat Ireland". The Times. 7 December 1955. p. 14.
  29. ↑ , Extratime.ie, Dublin, 4 August 2010.
  30. ↑
  31. ↑
  32. ↑ "Irish League Representative Match Results". irishleaguegreats.blogspot.com. August 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  33. ↑ www.airtricityleague.ie
  34. ↑ www.rte.ie
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