Soccer

Ireland Gamble on Cork City star

Cork City's Joe Gamble and Aston Villa's Stephen O'Halloran have been called in the Republic of Ireland squad to travel to the…

Tue May 15 2007 - 01:00

Cork City's Joe Gamble and Aston Villa's Stephen O'Halloran have been called in the Republic of Ireland squad to travel to the United States for friendlies with Ecuador and Bolivia.

Neither player has ever won a senior cap but Gamble trained with the senior squad ahead of a friendly defeat to Chile in May last year and featured in an Ireland B team that faced Scotland last November.

The 25-year-old Gamble was capped up to under-21 level and played with Reading and Barnet for brief periods before returning to Cork in 2004.

Cobh native O'Halloran has been a regular with Don Givens's under-21 side and also represented Ireland at numerous underage levels.

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The left sided defender signed for Villa in 2003 and featured prominently in Wycombe Wanderers's impressive Carling Cup while on loan last year.

Staunton's squad already has nine other uncapped players so competition to face Ecuador on May 23rd and Bolivia on May 26th will be fierce.

Speaking today, the Louthman said: "I'm looking forward to seeing how the new players get on in the States, both with their team mates and on the playing field. It's a great experience for them, and it will give us an indication of what the players coming through are capable of."

Last week named nine uncapped players in his squad for the two-match trip to the USA.

Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy and Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle were rewarded for helping their teams to the Premiership.

Also named were Sean St Ledger (Preston), Alex Bruce (Ipswich), Derek Geary (Sheffield United), Joseph O'Cearuill (Arsenal), Caleb Folan (Wigan) and Wolves duo Darren Potter and Andy Keogh.

The match against Ecuador will take place in New York's Giants Stadium while the Bolivia match is scheduled for Boston's Gillette Stadium three days later.

Rep of Ireland:

Nicky Colgan (Barnsley), Wayne Henderson (Preston), Colin Doyle (Birmingham), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham), Paul McShane (West Bromwich), Sean St Ledger (Preston), Alex Bruce (Ipswich), Derke Geary (Sheffield United), Joseph O'Cearuill (Arsenal), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan), Darren Potter (Wolves), Stephen Ireland (Manchester City), Stephen Hunt (Reading),  Alan O'Brien (Newcastle), Joe Gamble (Cork City), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Shane Long (Reading), Caleb Folan (Wigan), Daryl Murphy (Sunderland), Stephen Elliott (Sunderland), Liam Miller (Sunderland), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Andy Keogh (Wolves).