Town striker Daryl Murphy could win his first Republic of Ireland cap in nearly six years having been named in the initial squad for a friendly against Serbia in Dublin on Wednesday 5th March. Loan midfielder Paul Green is also included in the 29-man provisional squad.
Murphy, who won the last of his nine caps in a friendly in Norway in 2008, said last month that he hadn’t given up on playing for Ireland again: ”I’ve made no secret of the fact that I would love to play for my country again but whether or not I get picked is another thing.”
Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill was a guest of the club at Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Blackpool and evidently liked what he saw of Murphy, who previously played for his assistant Roy Keane at Sunderland at with Town.
Murphy has score eight goals for the Blues this season having joined on a permanent basis last summer following three loan spells.
Green played in the two previous friendlies under O'Neill's management and has won 20 caps, scoring one goal.
Republic of Ireland: David Forde (Millwall), Darren Randolph (Birmingham), Rob Elliot (Newcastle), Richard Keogh (Derby), Marc Wilson (Stoke), Seamus Coleman (Everton), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Alex Pearce (Reading), Stephen Kelly (Reading), Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace), Richard Dunne (QPR), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Stephen Ward (Brighton), James McCarthy (Everton), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Paul Green (Ipswich), Andy Reid (Nottingham Forest), Aiden McGeady (Everton), Anthony Pilkington (Norwich), James McClean (Wigan), Stephen Quinn (Hull), David Meyler (Hull), West Hoolahan (Norwich), Shane Long (Hull), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich), Jon Walters (Stoke), Kevin Doyle (QPR), Anthony Stokes (Celtic), Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest).