7 Players In Contention For A First Ireland Call-Up Later This Week

Ireland will return to competitive action for the first time in six months over the coming weeks, with Heimir Hallgrimsson's side set to kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign.

The Boys in Green will play four games over an extended international window, starting with a trip to Kosovo on September 24th. The squad for those fixtures will be named on Thursday.

While we can expect to see mostly familiar faces included, we could see some new names on the list. With that in mind, here are seven players in contention to receive their first Ireland call-ups later this week.

Seven players in contention for first Ireland call-ups

Liam Kitching (Sheffield United, on loan from Coventry City)

A name that has been mentioned as a possible Ireland international in the past, it seems that Liam Kitching could be in contention for a first international call-up this week.

IFB Media reported in recent days that the 26-year old has recently sorted his Irish passport and is now available for selection.

Kitching played a big role in Coventry City's promotion to the Premier League last season, before joining Sheffield United on loan earlier this month.

He has plenty of competition at centre back, but will be a good option for Heimir Hallgrimsson moving forward.

Jacob Devaney (Hibernian, on loan from Manchester United)

Midfield is a big area of concern for Ireland, with the situation all the more grave heading into this month's window. The likes of Josh Cullen and Jack Taylor are currently sidelined due to injury, while Will Smallbone is still without a club after leaving Southampton.

A first call-up for Jacob Devaney would be an intriguing solution.

The 19-year old is clearly a huge talent, although his exposure to first team football has been fairly limited up until the turn of the year. He would impress on loan at St Mirren in the second half of last season, already going to make a big impact after joining Hibs over the summer.

Now seems like an ideal time to integrate him into the senior setup.

Trent Kone-Doherty (Molde)

Having taken the brave decision to move to Molde earlier this year, Trent Kone-Doherty has shown the benefit of that call in recent weeks.

The winger has netted two hat-tricks this season, including one in a league game against HamKam over the weekend. In all, he has scored nine goals in his last six appearances.

With Ireland relatively short on options out wide, there is a chance that the 20-year old could be fast tracked into the squad.

Danny McNamara (Charlton Athletic)

Right back is a tricky position for Ireland this month, with their regular options in the role not featuring regularly at club level. Seamus Coleman is still without a club, while Matt Doherty has been a bit part player at Sheffield United.

Danny McNamara is someone who has never received an Ireland senior call-up despite being a consistent performer at Championship level. That has continued after his move to Charlton Athletic over the summer.

This window could be a good opportunity to see what he has to offer in a green jersey.

Owen Elding (Hibernian)

A nailed on inclusion, Owen Elding is all but certain to receive his first Ireland call-up this month.

It has been a long time coming for the striker, with the process delayed as he awaited the arrival of his Irish passport. While it was assumed a number of months ago that he would first come into the U21 setup, his form for Hibs is likely to see him bypass that level altogether.

Hallgrimsson is clearly a fan of the player. He has been in contact with him quite a bit over the last 12 months and brought him in to train with the squad over the summer despite the fact he was not yet eligible to play.

Armstrong Oko-Flex (Levski Sofia)

A prodigious talent as a teenager, Armstrong Oko-Flex has struggled to forge a path for himself at senior level. He has bounced around various clubs in both the UK and Europe in recent seasons.

He seems to have finally found a home for himself in Bulgaria. After impressing at Botev Plovdiv, he earned a move to Levski Sofia back in January.

The 24-year old has scored six goals and registered one assist so far in the current campaign. He will also play in the Europa League this season, with a likely debut in that competition to come against RB Salzburg on Thursday.

Joel Bagan* (Cardiff City)

Joel Bagan has technically been called up by Ireland before, but he was forced to withdraw from the squad over the summer before linking up with the group. As a result, we have included him in this list.

Left back has been an issue for Ireland for quite some time, with the Cardiff City man a potential solution. He has played every minute of the club's championship campaign up to this point.

At 25-years old, he has steadily improved over the last few seasons and it could be time to see what he could offer moving forward.

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