Sport

Devlin's new faces

Derry City, who have occasionally railed against their treatment in the selection of National League teams, will find little …

By PETER BYRNE
Wed Aug 27 1997 - 01:00

Derry City, who have occasionally railed against their treatment in the selection of National League teams, will find little cause for complaint in Pat Devlin's latest squad selection.

They provide no fewer than six of the 17 players from whom he will name his team to meet the Republic of Ireland in Eoin Hand's testimonial at Tolka Park next Tuesday. It will be the first meeting in more than 20 years of the national and inter-league teams.

Among them is James Keddy, their skilful winger, and striker Gary Beckett, whose sharp reflexes did so much to bring the championship title to the Brandywell for the first time in eight years last May.

Stephen Geoghegan, who missed the bulk of Shelbourne's pre-season programme because of a chest infection, is also selected and is again joined in the squad by his younger brother Declan.

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Missing from the squad are five of those who contributed last season: Dave Henderson, John McDonnell, Colm Tresson, Pat Morley and Mark Rutherford.

Devlin will look to newcomers Seamus Kelly, Eamonn Doherty, Keddy, Beckett and Ciaran "Tarzan" O'Brien to bring some novelty to his side.

Doherty, who only recently joined Derry from Coleraine, will be in line for one of the full back positions, while O'Brien will be among those challenging for recognition up front.

Apart from its relative novelty, the chief selling point of the fixture is the admission charge, which has been pitched at a maximum £12 for seats in the grandstand. Other seats for adults will cost £10, while there is a charge of £4 for youths, making it the most economical Ireland fixture in years.

Tickets are available at the Soccer Shop, Aungier St; O'Neill's, Drumcondra Bridge; JFK Sports, Mary St; The Leinster Bar, Harold's Cross; News and Candy Store, Tallaght; Tolka Park; Murray's Bar, Bath Ave; Irish Travel Agency, D'Olier St; Ray Treacy Travel, Store St.

National League: O'Dowd (Derry City), Kelly (UCD), Scully (Shelbourne), D Geoghegan (Shelbourne), Doherty (Derry City), Curran (Derry City), Lynch (St Patrick's Athletic), Mooney (Bohemians), Hutton (Derry City), Keddy (Derry City), Gormley (St Patrick's Athletic), Cahill (Cork City), Sheridan (Shelbourne), S Geoghegan (Shelbourne), Beckett (Derry City), O'Brien (Bray Wanderers), Colwell (Shamrock Rovers).