Kenny hoping his men can hit the ground running
STEPHEN Kenny will be hoping his Republic of Ireland side can hit the ground running in their latest UEFA Nations League campaign, which gets underway this weekend.
The Boys In Green are set to play four games in the space of 10 days in the competition, including Saturday’s clash with Armenia in Yerevan.
This will be swiftly followed by home encounters against Ukraine (June 8) and Scotland (June 11) at the Aviva Stadium, before Ireland enjoy a renewal of acquaintances with the Ukrainians in Poland on June 14.
Currently on a run of eight games without defeat (or one loss in 12), Ireland are in a good place ahead of international football’s return.
Tallaght man Kenny has set a target of winning Group B1 and while Ireland are yet to taste success in any of their 10 Nations League games to date (under the watch of both Martin O’Neill and Kenny), there is considerable hope that this is about to change.
The former Dundalk supremo is able to call upon a number of local players for this block of games, most notably Firhouse native Gavin Bazunu.
Now back at his parent club of Manchester City, the precocious netminder is said to be in demand following a productive loan spell at Portsmouth.
Former Templeogue College students Dara O’Shea and Enda Stevens have also been named in Kenny’s 27-man squad and they are joined by Nathan Collins – son of ex-St Patrick’s Athletic manager Eamonn Collins – and Bournemouth custodian Mark Travers, who enjoyed previous stints in youth football with Lucan United, Cherry Orchard and Shamrock Rovers.