Daryl Murphy
ROBBIE KEANE HAS failed to convince so far in Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifiers, while Shane Long has managed just three Premier League goals all season. Consequently, O’Neill could do worse than turn to Murphy, whose 27 goals this season makes him the top scorer in the Championship. The Ipswich man has managed more goals in this campaign than Long has produced in the last four — albeit at a lower level.
Throwing Murphy in at the deep end against Scotland would undoubtedly be a risk, but there would certainly be no harm in trying out the Waterford native in the friendlies against England or Northern Ireland.
At 32, the former Sunderland man is unlikely to be seen as a long-term solution up front, but with with options in attack currently few and far between, the player’s excellent form at club level means he is surely deserving of a chance.
Richard Keogh
His season may have ended in disappointment at club level, with Derby failing to make the playoffs having looked in strong contention for the majority of the season, yet it’s still been an encouraging year for Keogh personally.
The 28-year-old defender made his competitive debut for Ireland against Scotland, and while it was a poor performance from a collective viewpoint, Keogh certainly didn’t let his team down on the night. The Harlow-born player was also named in the Championship team of the year after a series of impressive displays.
Moreover, he could be an important asset for the Irish side against Scotland. Left-back has proven a problematic position for the Boys in Green in recent times, with neither Stephen Ward nor Robbie Brady convincing in the role. Consequently, with Ciaran Clark likely to be injured, the option remains to slot in Keogh alongside O’Shea in the centre, allowing Marc Wilson to shift to left-back — a position he’s played a number of times for both club and country.
Harry Arter
One of the Irish players of the season, Arter has excelled as part of Bournemouth’s Championship-winning team.
Glenn Whelan and James McCarthy are currently first-choice in the Irish midfield, but with Jeff Hendrick not having the best of seasons with Derby and looking a little edgy against the Scots last November, Arter may be the best alternative option should one of the two main men pick up an injury.
Furthermore, if O’Neill decides he needs someone with more dynamism and goal threat than Whelan, he may well be tempted to go with Arter — who has managed an impressive nine goals from midfield during his club’s campaign — in next month’s must-win game.
And while Arter’s lack of playing time — with his season ending last week — could be perceived as a concern, the player insisted he would be ready if called upon in an interview with The42 recently.
