How The Irish Fared

A VERY GOOD PLAYER: Keith Treacy is a very good player according to Marco Tardelli. The former Blackburn winger is set to make an appearance for the senior Irish team against Brazil at the Emirates Stadium next month. / Getty Images

As was predicted last week Robbie Keane made the move to Celtic, the Dubliner beating the transfer window buzzer on Monday night by just minutes to sign for a club he supported as a boy.

It wasn’t all fun and games however for the Dubliner as he and his new team mates fell to an ignominious loss at Kilmarnock on Tuesday, one which has surely ended the Bhoys hopes of winning the Scottish Premier League title.

But the news was better for Robbie on Sunday after Celtic survived a Scottish Cup scare at Dunfermline. The Bhoys were 2-1 down at the home of the minnows but came back to win by two in a six-goal thriller. Keane netted the Hoops’ final goal from the penalty spot to take the proverbial monkey off his back.

Also on the move during the transfer window was Coventry’s Leon Best. The Sky Blues’ striker signed for Newcastle, a change of address which is sure to enhance his international career. Best was part of a Geordie strike force which hammered five goals past fellow promotion hopefuls, Cardiff, on Friday night, and signs are that the heir apparent to Robbie Keane’s striker’s shirt, will be playing in the English top flight next term.

One who is already there and beginning to make a name for himself, is James McCarthy. The Wigan midfielder has won some rave reviews for his performances in Roberto Martinez’s struggling outfit, and according to reports the former Hamilton lad is set to make his full Ireland debut against Brazil next month.

This week Irish assistant manager Marco Tardelli announced that he expects Giovanni Trapattoni to include some new faces for the March 2 friendly in London.

Trap will announce his squad for the game next week and Tardelli admits that some of the younger Irishmen making waves across the water could receive call-ups to the senior set-up for the first time.

McCarthy, Manchester City’s Galway teenager Greg Cunningham, Everton’s former Sligo Rovers full back Seamus Coleman, and Irish U-21 winger Keith Treacy, who made a permanent move to Preston from Blackburn Rovers on deadline day, were all name-checked by Tardelli.

The former Juventus and Italy star said: “We have many new names, Cunningham, Coleman and McCarthy. We need those players to go forward. I think we needed to find the new Irish players, maybe McCarthy, maybe Cunningham, (Keith) Treacy is a very good player."

Asked whether he fears that McCarthy will defect to the land of his birth, he replied: "I don’t think. He plays with the U-21s, I don’t know why some papers say this."

The Brazil game would appear to represent the perfect opportunity for Trap and his team to lock down McCarthy’s services - anything less would represent a massive kick in the teeth to the lad.

Lukas Jutkiewicz is another player who may come into the reckoning during the Euro 2012 campaign. The Everton striker, who is currently on-loan at Motherwell, can secure him a long-term future with parent club Everton.

Jutkiewicz has been outstanding for the Steelmen and was on target again in the stunning 3-0 win at Pittodrie last week and again versus Hamilton on Saturday.

The Republic of Ireland hopeful commented:

"I haven't spoken to Davie Moyes since I moved here, but I have chatted to a few of the other coaches at Everton.

"It's probably not for me to decide if I have a future there or not. All I can do is play well and score as many goals as I can here and then it's up to the manager.

"My contract at Goodison has another year to go so it's completely up to Davie to decide if he wants to sell me or whether I'm part of his plans.

"I'd love to play for Everton on a regular basis and doing well here might convince them I can.

Southampton born Jutkiewicz qualifies for Ireland through his Irish mother.

Barnet are hoping they can persuade striker John O'Flynn to stay at the club, with his contract set to run out in the summer.

The Bees accepted an offer from Shrewsbury prior to the transfer deadline but the 27-year-old former Cork City striker decided to stay at Underhill.

Manager Ian Hendon is now desperate to secure the Irishman's services on a long-term basis.

"The lad has been offered a new deal before and the offer still stands," he said.

"It is a good deal on the table and the lad is a very good player, who we don't want to lose.

O'Flynn has scored 28 goals for Barnet since joining from Cork in September 2008 and Hendon can understand why he is stalling on a new deal.