Football Max called into Republic squad for international friendlies
BRISTOL City goalkeeper Max O’Leary has been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their upcoming international friendlies.
Stephen Kenny’s side have a double header of fixtures in Dublin against Belgium tomorrow and Lithuania next Tuesday.
O’Leary, who has featured 11 times for the Robins this season, earned his recall to the national side after Portsmouth’s stopper Gavin Bazuna, who’s on a seasonlong loan from Premier League champions Manchester City, was forced to withdraw through illness.
The 26-year-old was first called up to the Republic squad in May 2019 for a training camp in Portugal but has yet to earn his first cap for his country. Although called up ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers around three years ago, O’Leary was not eligible to play in competitive matches because he was still awaiting his passport.
He qualifies for the Boys in Green through his Kerry-born grandfather and he will train alongside Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher and Bohemians stopper James Talbot before returning to Ashton Gate.
City manager Nigel Pearson handed O’Leary his league opportunity in favour of Dan Bentley in the 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers in December and he retained his place until suffering an injury against Swansea in February.
He returned to the matchday squad against West Brom before the international break after Covid19 kept him sidelined for the previous two fixtures.
O’Leary isn’t the only City player hoping to represent their countries over the next week with Andi Wei
mann’s form earning him a recall to the Austria squad for the first time in seven years.
They took on Wales in Cardiff in their World Cup qualifier, looking to move a step closer to securing qualification to the tournament in
Qatar at the end of the year. Sam Pearson has linked up with the Wales Under-21 squad for their matches against Switzerland and Bulgaria, while Zac Bell will team up with the Wales Under-18 side for two fixtures against Finland.
Highly-rated young striker Antoine Semenyo was forced to pull out of Ghana’s involvement through injury, while Alex Scott also missed out on the England Under-19 squad after rolling his ankle against Barnsley.