STEPHEN GEOGHEGAN, Shelbourne's prolific striker, confessed to feeling some surprise when he learned yesterday that he is in the Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup game in Macedonia on April 2nd.
With his front line options diminished by the unavailability of Niall Quinn, Keith O'Neill and David Connolly, Mick McCarthy gave the National League a significant boost by rating Geoghegan superior to Dominic Foley of Wolves, for the last of the 20 places.
It provides the big talking point in a squad which, as anticipated, includes those two seasoned international campaigners, Paul McGrath and Ray Houghton, and, at the other end of the spectrum, the largely unproven Wimbledon player, Jon Goodman.
Three years ago, Jack Charlton, strapped for replacements, summoned Geoghegan at the 11th hour and added him to the travelling party for the game against Holland at Tilburg in the approach to the 1994 World Cup finals.
Now, the 26 year old Shelbourne player, who has topped the scoring charts in domestic football for two of the last three years, finds himself in the original squad and the sense of achievement resonates from him.
"It's the proof that every so often, lads playing in the National League can make it into the international squad and I'm delighted," he said.
"I've always believed in my own ability to play at the highest level but to be honest, the call up has come out of the blue. Three years is a long time to wait and when nothing came of my trip to Tilburg, I didn't expect another opportunity like this.
"From different sources, I was aware of the fact that Mick McCarthy was taking an interest in me in the last couple of months and, with luck, I may just get the chance of repaying his trust.
Damien Richardson, Shelbourne's manager, said Geoghegan's selection was an indication of the improving standard of the local game.
"Unlike some selections in the past, this is no stop gap thing, just to make up the numbers," he said. "Stephen is in the squad because he deserves to be in it and it makes up, in part, for the fact that no local players were included when Mick McCarthy rebuilt his squad for the end of the season tour of America.
"The downside is that it will give the player a higher profile in England and that's going to make it very difficulty to hang on to him. But, yes, I'm delighted for the lad - and the club."
Not since Pat Byrne took part in a triangular tournament in Iceland at the start of Jack Charlton's reign back in 1986, has a locally based player appeared in the national team. McCarthy is not promising Geoghegan any favours, but neither is he disputing his right to be in the squad.
"My admiration of the player goes back some way and while I don't deny that he might have been further down the pecking order if all our players had been available, he's in the squad on merit.
"I watched him hit a couple of goals when he played for the National League earlier this year and he'll not be out of his class if I ask hire to do a job for us in Skopje.
McCarthy insists that his team will be chasing a win, rather than pitching their ambition at a draw in the Macedonian capital - an approach which suggests that he may yet go with two specialist forwards in his starting line up there.
Tony Cascarino, presumably will be one of them, leaving Geoghegan to compete with Alan Moore of Middlesbrough and Wimbledon's Jon Goodman, who made a satisfactory debut in Wales, for the other spot.
Gary Kelly's vigil for his first competitive start in 16 months is on going and Curtis Fleming must, likewise, resign himself to further disappointment following McCarthy's decision to keep faith with Ken Cunningham and Ian Harte in his pool of seven defenders.
Phil Babb, still recovering from injury, was not considered for selection, but Ray Houghton, yet to play a full senior game for Crystal Palace after being out for nine weeks with a rib injury, gets in on the expectation that he will be included in the side to face Oldham Athletic next Sunday.
