Greg gets Samba call

Keith Kelly

Galway soccer star Greg Cunningham is in line for a dream international debut after he was named in the 23-man squad for the Republic of Ireland’s friendly with Brazil in the Emirates Stadium in London next Tuesday, March 2.

Irish manager Giovanni Trapattoni named his squad for the game yesterday, and alongside the names of Shay Given and Kevin Kilbane – who are in line to break Steve Staunton’s record of 102 caps – and record goalscorer Robbie Keane is that of Greg Cunningham (19), now of Manchester City and formerly of Mervue United and Cregmore FC.

If he sees action next Tuesday, Cunningham will become the first Galway player since Eamon Deacy to win an international cap, and he will do so against illustrious opposition – Brazilian manager Dunga has named a strong squad for the game, with the likes of Dani Alves of Barcelona, Kaka of Real Madrid and Adriano of Flamengo included in the squad, along with a former team-mate of Cunningham, a certain Robinho.

Speaking to Sentinel Sport yesterday, his father Billy said he was “very proud” of his son and was delighted that the hard work Greg has put in has been rewarded with inclusion in the senior international squad.

“It is massive for him, I was talking to him this [Monday] morning and he said it was just great to be involved and he said he hopes to justify the decision to include him in the squad.

“I know Marco Tardelli [Irish assistant manager] and a couple of scouts from the Irish side have been over watching him a couple of times, and I suppose the fact Roberto Mancini [the Manchester City manager] and Trapattoni are both Italian probably helped as well.

“In fairness to Manchester City, they have been very good to him, from Mark Hughes and Glyn Hodges in their time there to Mancini, Brian Kidd and Andy Welsh, the reserve team manager, but a lot of credit has to go to the lads in Galway here as well.

“The likes of Dave Mullally, Jimmy McIlroy and Bartley Barrett brought him into the U12 Galway Town team when he was only 9 and they kept pushing him and pushing him to keep his head down and keep working.

“It was the same with Johnny Walsh at Cregmore, and Jimmy Howley and Jarlath Connolly at Mervue, they all helped him develop, they all deserve great credit. Everyone still looks after him – when Patsy Devlin goes over to Manchester United matches he always gives Greg a ring to see if he wants to meet up, so he is always in touch with home which is great, and Manchester is so near as well.

“He got lucky I suppose in that he won the U14 national title with Mervue, beating four Dublin teams along the way, and that would have given him exposure.

For more, read page 32 of this week's Connacht Sentinel.