Irish Footballers

Stephen Hunt has returned to England – leaving Ireland’s preparations for Wednesday’s friendly international – to complete a transfer to Premier League side Hull City. Hunt’s current club Reading have confirmed that they have agreed a fee for the winger and he has returned to England in an attempt to wrap up the move before the English Premier League kicks off on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Irish under-21 international Jay O’Shea has completed a transfer from Galway United to Birmingham City. O’Shea has been linked with a move to England since the turn of the year and talking to Birmingham’s official website he said,  “I was on trial in January and it didn’t work out but thankfully the manager came back for me and I am delighted to be here. In January I was so disappointed not to get the move to England but now it’s great and I can’t wait for the challenge.”

The former Bray Wanderers man has signed on a two year deal with an option for two more years although the fee remains undisclosed.

Following a one day delay because of flight problems, Giovanni Trapattoni named his squad for August’s friendly with Australia at Thomond Park. Coming right at the start of the English league campaign the squad is likely to yet face changes and is the likely reason that Trap has named a squad of 24 with 3 players on standby.

Alex Bruce, Damien Delaney and the injury plagued Steven Reid are all on standby for the friendly on Wednesday, 12th August.

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Republic of Ireland international midfielder Colin Healy has joined Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town as he returns to England’s Championship.

Cash-strapped League of Ireland side Cork City had recently announced they had agreed a deal with Hartlepool United for the Cork man but Healy has since opted to join Keane’s Ipswich.

Speaking to the official Ipswich website Healy said, “The move to Ipswich came out of the blue. I was going to Hartlepool last week when the manager rang me and asked me to come down for a chat. I have played against Ipswich a few times and I know it’s a very good club. It looks like it’s a club on the up and I’m glad to be part of it.”

Denis Behan was the other part of a double deal agreed with Hartlepool and he has completed his move to the English side.

Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle is still hoping to be fit in time for the start of the English season. The Wolves man had a hernia operation recently but Wolves report that it should only see him miss two weeks of pre-season action.

The news makes Doyle extremely doubtful for the friendly against Australia on 12th August but will be hoping to be fully match-fit in time for September’s World Cup qualifier with Cyprus.

Quoted on the official Wolves website, the clubs medical team said,  “Kevin’s gone to a top specialist in Munich for treatment to repair a hernia which had been causing him minor irritation during pre-season. The decision was taken to address it sooner rather than later and we are confident he should resume training within a couple of weeks.”

Republic of Ireland under-21 international midfielder James McCarthy is set to swap the Premier Division of Scotland for the English Premier League.

McCarthy is set to complete a move to Wigan Athletic following a summer of speculation that had at one stage looked to see a move to Wolves. Hamilton Academical have confirmed the move and that it is a record fee for them.

Scotland’s PFA young player of the year is moving for a fee in excess of £1 million and reports suggest the fee could rise as high as £3 million.

Republic of Ireland defender Paul McShane has been hit by a pre-season injury and will miss the start of the English season. Crucially for Ireland though, he is set to be out injured for at least three months – ruling him out until at least mid to late October. That would see him miss all of Ireland’s three remaining World Cup qualifiers.

McShane picked up a knee injury in Sunderland’s pre-season win over Darlington on Thursday. However, it was later found that the injury will require surgery. Now set to miss such a crucial part of the English pre-season, it seems unlikely McShane would be fit to play for Ireland again before 2010 – meaning he is already doubtful for any potential qualifying play-offs.

Quoted on the official Sunderland website, manager Steve Bruce said, “This news is exactly what we didn’t want and now we will be without Paul for a while.”

Republic of Ireland striker Daryl Murphy looks set to complete a transfer from English Premier League sides Sunderland to Hull City.

Having spent almost four years at Sunderland following his transfer from League of Ireland side Waterford United, Murphy had initially been linked with a move to Roy Keane’s Ipswich this summer.

However, the BBC now reports that Murphy is set to finalise a deal valued at £1.5 million.

Blackburn Rovers have reportedly snubbed an enquiry from English Premier League rivals Fulham regarding Republic of Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews.

As English clubs get their pre-seasons fully into gear, transfer speculation is set to intensify although it seems that Blackburn will be happy to retain the services of the Dubliner. Andrews played 33 times for Blackburn last season scoring 4 times having made a slow climb to stardom – eventually making his name with MK Dons. He also made his senior international debut last year.

Sheffield United have confirmed that former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been suspended after a “failed drugs test”.

Quoted on the Sheff Utd site, a Sheffield United spokesman said:  “We can confirm that Paddy Kenny has been suspended by the Club. This is an ongoing, confidential matter and as such we are unable to comment further.”

It is the believed the test failure goes back to the end of the English domestic season and possibly involves Kenny’s involvement in the Championship play-off semi-final against Preston North End.

Kevin Doyle is returning to top flight football in England after moving to newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers. The former Saint Patrick’s Athletic and Cork City striker has joined Mick McCarthy’s Wolves from Reading on a deal reported as being in the region of £6.5 million (more than €7.6 million).

Speaking to the official Wolves site, the Republic of Ireland striker said, “I’m delighted to get the move sorted and can’t wait to get going. I spoke to the manager and chief executive over a week ago and came to the training ground to see everything.”

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