Town Send Scout to Ireland
Wednesday, 14th Nov 2007 09:32

Town were one of a number of Championship clubs watching last night's U23 international between the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia, according to reports in the Irish media. A Blues representative is understood to have been joined by scouts from Leicester City, Stoke City, Bristol City, Colchester United for the game in Dublin.

The Ireland U23 squad, which was made up of players from the Eircom League, won the International Challenge Trophy match 2-0, via goals from Sligo Rovers defender Gavin Peers and Derry City's Killian Brennan.

Longford Town frontman Dave Mooney is reported to have been the player most of the visiting scouts were interested in seeing in action. Mooney scored a hat-trick at the weekend as Longford were relegated from the Eircom League, taking his total for the season to 19.

The 23-year-old is expected to move to England after Longford have taken part in the FAI Ford Cup final against Cork City in December.

Also in action was one-time Town trialist John Paul Kelly. The midfielder, formerly an Ireland U19 team-mate of Billy Clarke, Shane Supple and Owen Garvan, had a spell at Playford Road during December 2004.

At the time of his Town trial Kelly had just left Liverpool's academy and now plies his trade with Eircom League side Bohemians.

Boss Jim Magilton has regularly looked for potential signings in Ireland since taking over as Town manager 18 months ago. Former Cork City man George O'Callaghan is his only signing from the Eircom League so far, but Magilton feels there could be bargains to be had in either Irish league.

Irish U23s: Barry Murphy - Shamrock Rovers, Ger O'Brien - Shamrock Rovers, Conor Powell — Bohemians, Conor Kenna — UCD, Gavin Peers - Sligo Rovers, Paul Keegan - Drogheda United, John Paul Kelly — Bohemians (Patrick Kavanagh - Bray Wanderers 88), Stephen Rice — Bohemians (Stephen O'Donnell — Bohemians 71), Denis Behan - Cork City (Ger Rowe - Shamrock Rovers 65), David Mooney - Longford Town (Conor Sammon — UCD 77), Killian Brennan - Derry City.

Photo: Action Images

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