Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Martin O’Neill went with a conservative enough selection in the end.
With the Euros just around the corner, he wasn’t going to start taking flamboyant risks and the injury of Harry Arter and the ongoing struggles of Robbie Keane and James McCarthy saw O’Neill go with what he knows.
As you can imagine though, people had opinions on the selection.
The players who missed out:
David Forde
Harry Arter
Darron Gibson
Eunan O’Kane
Callum O’Dowda
David McGoldrick
The injured Harry Arter got a lot of sympathy from Irish fans.
Gutted gutted gutted about/for Harry Arter. 😢 #euros
— Annemarie Dray (@AnnemarieDray) May 31, 2016
So gutted for Harry Arter pulling an injury before the #Euros. Thought he'd be a definite starter & he's better than most our MFs too
— Cathal OL 🇮🇪🔴🇵🇸 (@IrishRED05) May 31, 2016
Gutted for Harry Arter & would have preferred McGoldrick to Murphy but happy enough #COYBIG
— Daniel Gore 🇵🇸 (@KoptimusPrime) May 31, 2016
Eunan O’Kane was a big one that they were all talking about.
would of put in O'Kane over mcgeady
— Tiarnán (@TS2606) May 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/TheConteEra/status/737761339242893312
Decent point.
Eunan O'Kane had scoring chances in three of the four warm-up games. If he'd taken a couple he'd be on that plane. Not many goals in the mf
— Andy Watters (@andyirishnews) May 31, 2016
It’s not all about the goals.
Disappointed to see Eunan O'Kane miss out on a place in the squad. Has looked good when I've seen him, would have been useful addition.
— C MacFhirleighinn (@Mackers1501) May 31, 2016
83 caps later and Aiden McGeady is still a burning issue.
aiden mcgeady still getting into the ireland squad lord give me strength
— EAMO (@EamoV1) May 31, 2016
Poor choices by @FAIreland McGeady shouldn't have been at #euro2012 not to mind #EURO2016!! Forde very unlucky too!
— Patrick Hurley (@patrickjhurley) May 31, 2016
Great Westwood made it and Robbie had to get in but McGeady is a plane seat wasted and did not need to include both Henderick/Meyler#Eire23
— Barry Farrelly (@FarrellyBaz20) May 31, 2016
More daring punters wanted the inclusion of young Callum O’Dowda after 20 blistering minutes.
https://twitter.com/OneMustWonderSo/status/737774150761189376
Young kid O'Dowda. I'd take him over McGeady!!
— Alan Cawley (@alancaw) May 31, 2016
O'Dowda brings so much more, not headless like McGeady
— Cian Heffernan (@Bian999) May 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/NaathanByrne/status/737767307750035456
People were just happy that Westwood was included.
Westwood in the squad 👍 Given ahead of Forde and rightly so he has invaluable experience.. Forde can't even get a game for Millwall
— James (@Seamus_95) May 31, 2016
Not too many surprises with the Ireland squad good that Westwood is in the squad
— Christy Smyth (@Bootsy1990) May 31, 2016
Some people were more forceful than others.
https://twitter.com/real_sir_puga/status/737765368496852992
The selection of Daryl Murphy split the camp.
https://twitter.com/paulthetim/status/737760203412803584
Except it didn’t split it.
https://twitter.com/DarraghMUFC/status/737765932823662593
The Ipswich fans know what they’re talking about.
O'Neil has had a stinker picking Murphy ahead of Mcgoldrick, best of luck though Daryl #itfc #ROI
— Keir (@Keiryoung501) May 31, 2016
What about the forgotten striker?
https://twitter.com/chrisclayton15/status/737765386247122944
Rubbing it in.
https://twitter.com/DailyMesut/status/737759920448282624
Something we can all agree on.
@sidtrotter Super Jon Walters is going to tear the Euros new one
— ™Wardy (@td_ward) May 31, 2016
Not everyone was whining.
Decent squad, I'd fancy Ireland 2 get out of the group stages then you never know. The lads showed great spirit 2 qualify.
— Steve Neary (@steveneary66) May 31, 2016
As good a squad as Ireland could have picked apart from Harry Arter. Gutted for him and to lose him because he'd have made a difference.
— Dan (@Dan23_92) May 31, 2016
Plenty were though
https://twitter.com/leedalyire/status/737771809261637633
The most glaring absent of all.
no Will Grigg?
— ✈️ (@Arrizabalager) May 31, 2016
