NOEL STILL HOLDING OUT FOR TRAPATTONI CALL-UP

NOEL HUNT hasn’t given up on a wild-card selection for the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 squad as he surfs a Premier League promotion wave with Reading. The 29-year-old striker has grabbed four goals in 10 games to help Reading into the second automatic promotion spot in the Championship. If the Royals keep their nerve over the remaining seven games, Hunt, last capped against Montenegro two and a half years ago, could be celebrating on the double with a shock recall to arms by Giovanni Trapattoni. ‘All I have got to do is concentrate on Reading and getting us to the Premier League,’ said Hunt (below). ‘That’s the big thing and hopefully if I can continue to do play well, you just never know, there might be a space [with Ireland] for me. ‘I am probably the fittest I have ever been and Brian [Mcdermott] has me playing in a good role in the team and I would like to think I am helping the boys out. ‘Hopefully they [Trapattoni and his scouts] are watching and keeping an eye on all the results and games. ‘You never know what might happen.’ Hunt admits it would be a dream if he could link up again with brother Stephen, who is already an established member of Trapattoni’s squad — the siblings played in the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Italy in Bari. ‘He has been flying the last few years since leaving Reading and I am sure he will be a big part of the squad and hopefully we can meet up again at the Euros, as it would be another dream come true,’ said Hunt.

PHILIP QUINN