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Shay Given (left) and Kevin Doyle (right) are stuck with their clubs but Richard Dunne is all smiles. INPHO/Cathal Noonan
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3 Irish players who will be cursing Deadline Day

Note: QPR’s Richard Dunne is not one of those three.

THE TRANSFER WINDOW clanked shut at 11pm last night amid late confirmation of multi-million pound deals and a comedy subplot produced by the new supremos at Old Trafford.

James McCarthy got his big-money move to Everton and Stephen Ireland is at Stoke City but it was not all rosy in the Irish garden. Here are three Irish players that will not look back fondly on the first deadline day of the new season.

Shay Given

Doncaster appeared the most likely destination for the former Aston Villa and Ireland No.1 but Given’s deadline day got spicy when he was linked with Liverpool.

With Pep Reina over at Napoli on a season-long loan, Brendan Rodgers was considering Given as a safe pair of hands behind his first-choice goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet. Liverpool wanted a loan move but, according to The Daily Mail, Villa rejected their advances because they would not supplement most of his wages.

imageThe hunt for first-team football continues for Shay Given. (John Walton/EMPICS Sport)

Hopes of a move to Anfield were dashed and Given may yet find himself lining out between the Championship-dwelling sticks at Keepmoat Stadium after all.

Kevin Doyle

The most worrying aspect of Deadline Day was the lack of the Irishman’s name in the transfer mix. With Wolves down in League One and the Wexford native out of the international loop, it was a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

Doyle’s best chance of a Premier League return was a switch to a newly promoted side seeking an experienced target man. Hull went for Shane Long [more below] and tied up loan deals, Cardiff snapped up Peter Odemwingie while Crystal Palace brought Andrew Johnson along to Selhurst Park but could not force the deal through.

The deadline for the lower divisions closes later this month so all is not lost for Doyle. The latest suitors rumoured to be willing to prize him away from Molineux are Leicester City. Nigel Perason’s side are fifth in the Championship after five games and have allowed striker Marko Futacs to leave the club on a season-long loan. The Leicester straw looks bright and clutchable.

Shane Long

imageHe may have captained Ireland recently but that don’t impress Steve Clarke much. (David Davies/PA Archive)

At least somebody wanted Long. The shame for most Irish supporters, Giovanni Trapattoni and the striker himself is that West Brom were happy to let him go to Hull City if they could secure Romelu Lukaku.

A £5m fee was agreed between the two clubs and Long was on the verge of becoming a club’s record signing for his second transfer in succession. Most of the Irish squad were unaware that their teammate was winging his way back to England last night and was almost signed as Danny Graham’s new strike partner with the Tigers.

Steve Clarke signed Victor Anichebe for a pricey £6m but Lukaku went to Everton. The plug was pulled and Long will return to a club, after the international break, that had him out the gate with an itchy finger on the bolt.

James McCarthy prepares for midfield fight after £13m Everton move

Here is every Deadline Day transfer that has been confirmed

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