Updated at 22.57
THERE WAS ENCOURAGING news from an Irish perspective today in the Premier League, as experienced attacker Jon Walters was named on the bench for Stoke.
Walters, who has developed into a key player for Martin O’Neill’s Ireland side and scored the decisive goals in their playoff victory over Bosnia last November, has been out injured for an extended period.
However, with the attacker named as a substitute for his side’s clash with Sunderland today, it appears he is set to be fully fit ahead of this summer’s Euros.
Meanwhile, having made his first Premier League appearance off the bench against Southampton last week, teenager Kevin Toner makes his first senior start for Aston Villa today against Watford, lining up in a defence that also includes Ireland international Ciaran Clark.
Caretaker boss Eric Black paid tribute to Toner on Friday, saying: “He deserves enormous credit. I’ve been really refreshed by his mentality and the desire to be a football player. It’s something that’s sadly missing at times now. So to see a young man who’s so passionate about being a football player and will do anything to be a football player is wonderful.”
In further encouraging news, another Ireland Euro 2016 hopeful, Harry Arter, has been named in the Bournemouth side to face Everton after returning from a two-month lay-off, while James McCarthy and Darron Gibson again feature in the Toffees’ starting XI following last week’s FA Cup semi-final disappointment.
Meanwhile, there was disappointment for Irish winger Aiden McGeady, as he was left out of promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday’s matchday squad to face Cardiff.
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