LEINSTER’S UPCOMING CLASH with Munster in the Pro12 later today got us thinking: what if the two sides had equivalent teams in football?
Once, Leinster and in particular Dublin was considered the main soccer stronghold in the country. However, over the years, the game has undoubtedly expanded considerably in Munster (and indeed Connacht and Ulster too), as highlighted by the fact that it would currently be possible to field a decent team from players born in the province.
So check out the sides below, while keeping in mind the added imaginary caveat that the teams can’t sign foreign players (unlike in rugby), and let us know who you would choose in a Leinster and Munster best XI.
Leinster
Darren Randolph (Wicklow)
Joey O’Brien (Dublin)
Paul McShane (Wicklow)
Richard Dunne (Dublin)
Glenn Whelan (Dublin)
Jeff Hendrick (Dublin)
Robbie Brady (Dublin)
Andy Reid (Dublin)
Wes Hoolahan (Dublin)
Robbie Keane (Dublin)
Kevin Doyle (Wexford)
Subs: Stephen Henderson (Dublin), Stephen Ward (Dublin), Matt Doherty (Dublin), Stephen Quinn (Dublin), Damien Duff (Dublin), Stephen Hunt (Laois), Anthony Stokes (Dublin).
Munster
Brian Murphy (Waterford)
Brian Lenihan (Cork)
Damien Delaney (Cork)
John O’Shea (Waterford)
Eoghan O’Connell (Cork)
David Meyler (Cork)
Stephen Ireland (Cork)
Liam Miller (Cork)
Daryl Murphy (Waterford)
Shane Long (Tipperary)
Noel Hunt (Waterford)
Subs: Colin Doyle (Cork), Kevin Long (Cork), John Egan (Cork), Alan Browne (Cork), Kenny McEvoy (Waterford), Colin Healy (Cork), Mark O’Sullivan (Cork).
Formations
Leinster XI
Randolph
McShane Dunne O’Brien
Brady Hoolahan Hendrick Whelan Reid
Keane Doyle
Munster XI
Murphy
Lenihan Delaney O’Shea O’Connell
Miller Meyler Ireland
Long Hunt Murphy
Who would make your respective Leinster and Munster soccer teams?
Stephen Hunt and Noel Hunt are brothers , both from Waterford !!! Yet Stephen is a sub on Leinster team ?
Stephen Hunt grew up in Waterford, but was actually born in Laois, though I suppose you could argue he’d be eligible for Munster having spent so much time there.
His granny is from Munster. … ;)
Con hourihane from cork is tearing it up for Barnsley in midfield. Check out his goals in you tube. Liam miller wouldn’t get in his local cork side these days.
Leinster 1-0 Munster Keane 93′ Pen. Other than that there was no shots, cornors, throw ins..ball was been kicked from end to end, nobody using any creativity. Dey may aswell have been on the H. Man of the match: the referee for ending it!
3 on the munster team all played with the same GAA club, Blackrock,Cork
I Connell and lenihan and who else? That was my club I should know
Didnt know Lenihan was from Blackrock.O ‘Connell,Meyler and Delaney all played underage.Zebo played with Blackrock as well before signing with Munster.
Just presumed it was lenihan. O Connell is big paulies nephew to
Why am I up?
Shit-faced that’s why
Always thought this is way to go for Irish football . A celtic league would be brilliant and the crowds would but into it massively.
A team say in cork , Dublin, Belfast and Galway.
Never happen cos it makes to much sense.
2 super teams per province and possibly 2 in Dublin given the population wouldn’t be a bad shout, kind of MLS franchise structure
Ulster-Belfast and Derry
Munster-Cork and Limerick
Connaught-Galway and Sligo
Leinster-Louth and Kildare
Dublin-North and South
NEVER EVER gonna happen though
Something like this has to be done and rugby has been phenomenal success. Ireland wales and Scotland could still support this even without old firm and Cardiff n Swansea.
I am an optimist tho. Sad seen Irish football way it is . European super league one day may be an answer
It would require cooperation between the FAI and the IFA, and losing their domestic league may lead Northern Ireland to feel the future of their team is threatened.
I just don’t think soccer is ready for cross-border cooperation.
Would only be two teams from the north though,Derry already have a team in the loi and Belfast has about 3 in the NI league.If anything it would benefit the NI national team just look at Swansea bringing through the likes of Joe Allen,Neil Taylor and Ben Davies despite playing in English football.NI like us select the core of their players from English clubs as opposed to their domestic league anyway bar maybe 1 or 2 lads every couple of seasons
5 nil to Munster id say with Paul Mcshane scoring a hat trick of OGs
Soccer has always been popular in cork, limerick and Waterford cities. Not just Dublin.
An Ulster team would beat both of em. Coleman mc carthy mc geady given gibson mc clean sherdian douglas
None of the above as they are all foreign based. Just like the way J10 isn’t playing until he returns. cork city and limerick city 11 v Dundalk, drogheda, bray and Dublin clubs 11.
Leinster would win by at least 5 goals
Can ya imagine the international attention that ireland would get.. with keane, dunne, doyle, liam miller in the teams!! NONE. It might even make the sports page in the farmers journal in east timor.. NOT
Is that you John Delaney!?!
Any good sing-songs over the Christmas?
Two hunt brothers on opposite teams?