Done Deals as Deadline Day Disappoints

The dust has finally settled after another frantic transfer window. With many clubs finished recruitment early this season, notably many of the Premier League Clubs, Transfer Deadline Day failed to live up to the hype that surrounded it, unless you were a Manchester United, Hull City or Wigan fan. However, there were still a few Irishmen that moved in the days leading up to the closing of the window.

The biggest mover was Kevin Doyle, who finally found a move away from Wolves as he completed a deadline day move to Crystal Palace. Doyle joins the Premier League club on a loan deal until January and will hope to impress clubs with his performances so he can earn a move before his contract runs out in 2015. Doyle has played fifty-eight times for the Republic of Ireland, scoring fourteen goals, the latest of which was in the recent friendly against Oman that finished 2-0.

One player that made his Republic of Ireland debut recently was Shane Duffy. The Derry man moved from Everton to Blackburn Rovers on the last day of the transfer window. Last season, Duffy played on loan at Yeovil Town, where he played thirty-seven times in the Championship as the club were relegated. Duffy was eligible for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, playing at underage level for both, but he eventually chose to play for the Boys in Green and played his first match against Costa Rica.

Alex McCarthy is one of three players that are eligible to play for both the Republic of Ireland and England. The goalkeeper made a return to the Premier League after joining QPR in a £3 million move from Championship side Reading. McCarthy played forty-four times for Reading last season, as the Royals finished in seventh, one point off the play-off places. McCarthy has been called up to the England squad before but is yet to receive a cap.

Middlesbrough have signed yet another promising Chelsea player on loan, this time securing Patrick Bamford for the season. The striker was prolific last season, scoring fourteen goals in twenty-three appearances in a loan spell at MK Dons that lasted until January. He then moved on loan to Derby County, where he scored another eight goals in twenty-one games for the Rams. Bamford has played at u18 level for the Republic of Ireland but he has gone on to play at u19 and u21 level for England.

Manchester United player Michael Keane is another potential Irish player. The defender has been sent out on loan again, this time joining Premier League side Burnley on loan until January 2015. It was thought that Van Gaal would keep Keane at Old Trafford, due to a lack of defensive  depth, but at least this way he might able to get more game time. Keane also played for the Republic of Ireland at youth level before turning out for England’s u19 and u21 sides.

Another player that has choices to make over his international future is Kristian Scott. The nineteen year old midfielder has joined Leicester City’s Development squad on a free transfer from Swansea City. Scott has signed a two-year contract at the club and is hopeful of getting first team action while at Leicester. Although he is currently an u18 international for the USA, the player was also called up for Pat Doolin’s u19 squad last year, back when he played for Stoke City.

There seemed to be a lot of loan deals in this transfer window, with the likes of Falcao, Hatem Ben Arfa and Micah Richards moving on a short-term basis. This was the same for Joe Shaughnessy of Aberdeen. The Galway native has joined Scottish Championship side Falkirk on a loan deal until the end of the season. The u21 Republic of Ireland international played twenty-nine times for Aberdeen last season but has been loaned out for this campaign due to competition in his right back spot.

Another player that has been loaned out is Jake Carroll. The Huddersfield Town man has joined Scottish Premiership team Patrick Thistle on loan until January 2015. The former St. Patrick’s Athletic player played four times for Huddersfield in the league last season, before joining Bury on a month loan in February. He played six times for the League Two team and scored in a 4-1 win against Mansfield Town.

And finally, Brian Lenihan and Adam McDonnell have left Cork City and Shelbourne respectively to move to clubs in England. Cork accepted bids from Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City for the twenty-year old but the latter club won the race for his signature. Meanwhile, McDonnell has joined Championship club Ipswich Town and will go straight into their u18 squad.