Bruce to Make Ireland Bow
Tuesday, 22nd May 2007 23:22

Central defender Alex Bruce is expected to make his Republic of Ireland international debut when Steve Staunton's side take on Ecuador in a friendly at the Giants Stadium in New York on Wednesday night. Bruce, who has previously won U21 caps, qualifies for the Irish Republic via his grandmother.

It won't be the first time Bruce has visited the arena where the game is taking place: "I saw Ray Houghton lob the keeper against the Italians [in the 1994 World Cup] in the same stadium I am going back to, which is ironic.

"Playing for Ireland was always in the back of my head ever since that trip to New York.

"As a young kid things stick in your mind and I remember going in 1994, and the support and the games were just fantastic.

"Ever since then I have wanted to play if the chance came up, which it has now and I am just going to jump at it.

"I had the scarf, the jersey, the programmes, the whole lot in 1994 - I think they're still in the loft. Dad and I followed Ireland and it was great.

"Denis [Irwin] and Roy [Keane] got us the tickets, my dad wanted to follow his team-mates and I remember being sat behind the dug-out in Orlando when we played Mexico."

Coach Staunton has picked a squad largely made up of younger players for the US tour which also includes a game with Bolivia on Saturday at the Gillette Stadium, Boston.

Republic of Ireland: Nicky Colgan - Barnsley, Wayne Henderson - Preston North End, Colin Doyle - Birmingham City, Stephen Kelly - Birmingham City, Alex Bruce - Ipswich Town, Joseph O'Cearuill - Arsenal, Stephen O'Halloran - Aston Villa, Kevin Kilbane - Wigan Athletic, Darren Potter - Wolves, Joe Gamble - Cork City, Stephen Hunt - Reading, Stephen Gleeson - Wolves, Alan O'Brien - Newcastle United, Kevin Doyle - Reading, Shane Long - Reading, Daryl Murphy - Sunderland, Anthony Stokes - Sunderland, Andrew Keogh — Wolves, Alan Bennett — Reading, Peter Murphy — Carlisle United.

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Photo: Action Images

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