Daryl Murphy is hoping his return from the international wilderness will see him feature for the Republic of Ireland alongside some of his club colleagues.

On-loan Leeds midfielder Paul Green is already a squad regular and leading marksman David McGoldrick was being tipped for a first call-up before being ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee ligament injury.

Defender Luke Chambers is also eligible, Jay Tabb has won U21 honours and midfielder Stephen Hunt is keen to add to his tally of 39 senior caps.

Murphy, hoping to feature in the friendly against Serbia in Dublin tonight, said: “Hopefully some of the other lads will be joining me in the squad.

“Hunty obviously wants to be back in it. He’s had a run of games recently and done quite well so I’m sure he will be hoping to get involved at some stage.

“There are a lot of Championship players in the squad and it can only be good for us because it means Martin O’Neill is going to be watching games in our league and not just in the Premier League.

“I was told beforehand that he was at our recent game against Blackpool but you just have to try to forget about that and concentrate fully on the game, trying to do as well as you can. I haven’t spoken to him since the squad was named but I look forward to seeing him next week.”

Murphy revealed that he and the effervescent Hunt, who is on a contract with Town until the end of the season, go back a long way.

He added: “We’ve known each other since we were 14 or 15. He was going over to Crystal Palace at the time — he eventually signed for them — but he was training back in Waterford for a select team of the best young players in the area.

“We were both picked and then we were both in the Ireland squad when we roomed together for a number of years. I’m quite close with him.

“He didn’t stay with me when he first arrived in Ipswich. It’s not that we’re not close but I just wouldn’t have got any sleep — and that’s being honest. I wanted him as far away from me as possible!”

Photo: Action Images

SouperJim added 09:30 - Mar 5 I'm not sure what their back line looks like, but they could do a hell of a lot worse than give Luke Chambers a chance. Surely he has to be one of the best British defenders around without international commitments?
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bohslegend added 10:46 - Mar 5 At the moment Chambo would have probably John O'Shea, Richard Dunne (neither are spring chickens anymore), Ciaran Clarke and Richard Keogh (and maybe even Damian Delaney) ahead of him for centre back and in right full I can't see him taking Seamus Coleman's place. But certainly I'd love to have him selected for Ireland. Apart from actual ability he's a good character and a leader.

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Superblue95 added 14:23 - Mar 5 Chambers certainly has a chance of a call up soon as Ireland are hardly blessed with talented centre backs. Call ups for Delaney and Paul McShane are good examples of this
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