Can you name the 11 counties represented in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s latest Ireland squad
by Mark McCadden · Irish MirrorHeimir Hallgrímsson on Thursday named his latest senior Ireland squad, with a Nations League double-date coming up against Bulgaria.
The reward for the winner of this promotion/relegation play-off will be a spot in League B when the next edition of the competition takes place during the second-half of next year.
For each of their four campaigns so far, Ireland have been in League B, or the second tier of the UEFA ladder, so they are hoping to maintain the status quo by winning over two legs.
Defeat would see them swap places with Bulgaria, who finished second in Northern Ireland’s League C group to claim a play-off spot.
Hallgrímsson has called up some new faces to his squad, including Watford duo Rocco Vata and James Abankwah, the former St Patrick’s Athletic defender who is on-loan from Udinese.
Abankwah, born in Waterford, could be claimed by Donegal, where he spent part of his childhood playing for Letterkenny Rovers, and Longford, where he featured for Melview FC.
Longford can claim one spot in the latest squad - thanks to Ipswich Town midfielder Jack Taylor’s inclusion. His grandfather emigrated from Longford to the UK, and Taylor grew up in London.
There is no Donegal representation this time around, as Seamus Coleman’s lack of action for Everton sees him excluded.
Dublin leads the way with eight players, followed by Cork with four. But can you name the rest of the counties before reading on?
(*parent/grandparent born in the county)
DUBLIN (8)
Gavin Bazunu (Standard Liége, on loan from Southampton)
Matt Doherty (Wolves)
Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town)
Robbie Brady (Preston North End)
Jason Knight (Bristol City)
Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar)
Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City)
*Rocco Vata (Watford)
CORK (4)
Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool)
Jake O'Brien (Everton)
Adam Idah (Celtic)
*Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough)
KILDARE (2)
Mark Travers (Middlesbrough, on loan from AFC Bournemouth)
Nathan Collins (Brentford)
LOUTH (2)
Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers)
*Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City)
ANTRIM (1)
Mark Sykes (Bristol City)
DERRY (1)
*Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion)
KILKENNY (1)
*Will Smallbone (Southampton)
LEITRIM (1)
*Josh Cullen (Burnley)
LONGFORD (1)
*Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town)
MEATH (1)
Evan Ferguson (West Ham United, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion)
WATERFORD (1)
James Abankwah (Watford, on loan from Udinese)
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