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McCarthy looking at left back options ahead of trip to Tbilisi


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Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy says he's been looking at left-back options ahead of naming his squad next week for the Euro 2020 qualifiers away to Georgia and Switzerland.

With Enda Stevens suspended for the game against Georgia, the Ireland boss had Greg Cunningham, James McClean and Ryan Manning scouted by his backroom team over the last week.

“Terry saw Greg play there for Blackburn, we had James watched for Stoke and I saw Ryan Manning play for QPR against Luton last week," he told FAI.ie.

McCarthy added that Troy Parrott and Aaron Connolly both 'caught the eye' with the under-21s recently.

“Aaron was the one who really caught the eye with the 21s against Armenia. He is getting game time in the Premier League now with Brighton which will really benefit him and us and he was unlucky not to score at Newcastle.

“We are talking to Spurs and Terry will watch Troy this week in the Under 23 game at Blackburn on Monday or the Football League Cup match against Colchester on Tuesday night if he is involved in that one.

The Ireland manager went to see former Cork City forward Kieran Sadlier playing for Doncaster at the weekend, Sadlier had been part of the provisional squad for the games against Switzerland and Bulgaria earlier this month.

“I’ll name the squad for Georgia and Switzerland on Tuesday week and I wanted to have a look at Kieran for myself.

“Terry Connor had heard good things about him from the Doncaster coaching staff and our scouts had seen him but I wanted to have a look at him with my own two eyes. I know all about the other options available to us so this trip to Doncaster made sense.

"Kieran played well. He’s been operating on the right side of late having started the season as a centre-forward and he took his goal well.

“Sean (Maguire) scored again as well which is great news. He was very unlucky with the injury that kept him out of the Swiss and Bulgaria games so it’s good to see him back and in the goals again while Callum Robinson is also fit and back in the Sheffield United team.”


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