Town boss Mick McCarthy is delighted that Irish U18 international midfielder Adam McDonnell is finally available for competitive action almost a year after joining the Blues from Shelbourne.

The Dubliner joined the club on a two-year deal on the final day of the August transfer window last summer but due to red tape relating to his education the club was refused clearance to play competitive games at any level. He turned 18 in May and is no longer subject to those rules.

“[He is now available] unless Sepp Blatter or somebody at FIFA steps in and stops him playing,” the Blues boss joked.

“I did tell them a long time ago that it stood for Forget Irish Football Altogether when they wanted us [Ireland] to fly to Macedonia when they were bombing Belgrade [in 1999].

“Seems to have come back to haunt me with Adam. He’s fine now, he’s 18. The ridiculous nature of that, of course, was that they stopped him from playing football, which is the one thing he’s very, very good at because apparently we hadn’t given him a suitable education [programme], which was nonsense because we had.

“It goes to a single judge and he decides we can’t play him and yet he could have come and worked in Tesco or another supermarket for minimum wage at 17 and it would have been OK, and yet FIFA stop him playing football. Sadly for him he missed six months of his career.”

Fellow midfielder Cole Skuse praised McDonnell’s performance against his old club on Saturday and said he didn’t look out of place in the first team.

McCarthy concurred: “You can imagine how pissed off I was that they stopped him playing, that they wouldn’t allow him to be registered. It’s been the biggest piece of nonsense since they asked me to fly to Macedonia.”

The Town boss has also been impressed with 20-year-old winger Dylan Connolly, who joined the Blues from Shels in January and was on the first team bench on a number of occasions before picking up an injury.

“He was just starting to do well and he got injured at the end of last season, he damaged ankle ligaments,” McCarthy recalled.

“He’s back playing now and I’m really pleased with him and I’m looking forward to seeing him this season.”

The Blues boss says that as things stand McDonnell, Connolly and the other youngsters who made last week's trip to Ireland are very much part of his thinking ahead of the season proper.

“That is my first team squad at the moment,” he added. “The two full-backs have done great, Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock have been excellent.”

Photo: Action Images

muccletonjoe added 06:24 - Jul 16 Maybe mick thinks these 2 youngsters are good enough for the first team then. No doubt that Mcdonnell is
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parhamblue added 07:19 - Jul 16 Crazy application of the rules. There are other acronyms for FIFA less polite. [no long / longer subject to those rules]
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bluefeast added 08:21 - Jul 16 Maybe we are the developer of specialist left back sales. Bring em in cheap or from academy and sell em for millions.
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PhilTWTD added 09:11 - Jul 16 parhamblue Typo amended, cheers for pointing it out.
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Eireannach_gorm added 09:43 - Jul 16 McDonnell is a great prospect and I have great hopes that he will do good things at Ipswich. I really hope this interruption in his career does not set him back. The bad luck may be balanced out by the injury to Hyam which could get him a few runs in the first team.
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Garv added 10:29 - Jul 16 In all honesty I'm still skeptical as go how much these four lads will play.
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BrettenhamBlue added 10:39 - Jul 16 McDonnell will be a revelation this season. Outstanding player.
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RaymondovicBlue added 11:08 - Jul 16 Whether we agree or not, Mick will say that the back 5 picks itself (unless we are all very surprised) However - it is now amazing to be in a position of having a pretty full bench of players most of us would want in the starting 11 I'm putting my money on a midfield 4 of Fraser.........Bishop.......Skuse........McDonnell for the first game - but clearly Tabb may get the shout above McD Connolly to rip it up from the bench Up top I'm guessing that if all are fit then it will be Murph and McGoldrick but clearly there are options to change the shape with Sears and Pitman probably both featuring in many games too! EXCITING SEASON AHEAD !!! COYB

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brian_a_mul added 13:15 - Jul 16 McDonnell is a superb technical player and his best position would likely be in center midfield. MM will be keen to see his work rate and defensive abilities. It will be interesting to see how he copes in competitive professional football, dont expect McDonnell to start any league games any time soon. Regular sub appearances and cup football would be a good introduction for him. Maybe even start a few games if required (injuries/ fitness issues with senior players). Its shaping up to be a very exciting season already!

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topguy added 13:32 - Jul 16 I think it will for them the same as teddy, get a few games from bench and progress from there, as look at bish now in most people eyes would be playing every game. prob the best thing for allow, they get game time and exp, with no big risks.
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jas0999 added 20:14 - Jul 16 Am very interested and looking forward to see them play.
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