Repeat XIs

 A recent post on twitter asked which game did this Ireland lineup photo come from?

Your Choice #Eire #Tiger 1978-08-26 pic.twitter.com/MyzdtD8LxQ

— Scottish Footy Cards (@ScotsFootyCards) February 13, 2022

It's from a friendly against Denmark in May 1978 that ended 3-3, with the goals coming from Frank Stapleton, Tony Grealish, and Gerry Daly. This was the only time these eleven players would start together. This is not uncommon for the national side, in the 587 games played by the Republic, there have been 453 unique selections for the the starting XI. 

But what of the repeated selections? What collection of starting players has been selected more than any other for the Boys in Green?

On Friday, 2nd September 2011, Giovanni Trapattoni selected Shay Given, John O'Shea, Stephen Ward, Sean St Ledger, Richard Dunne, Glen Whelan, Keith Andrews, Aidan McGeady, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle, and captain Robbie Keane to face Slovakia at home in a qualifier for Euro 2012 that finished 0-0.

Ireland Team: Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger, Ward, Duff, Andrews, Whelan, McGeady, Keane, Doyle #IreSlo

— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) September 2, 2011

The same starting XI would go on to be selected against Hungary the following June in a pre-tournament friendly, then faced Croatia in Euro 2012 six days later, before being named for the fourth, and final, time to face Italy in the final game of the group - the most the same starting XI has played together for Ireland.

The most recent repeat selection came in June 2019, when Mick McCarthy named Darren Randolph, Seamus Coleman, Enda Stevens, Shane Duffy, Conor Hourihane, Richard Keogh, Robert Brady, Jeff Hendrick, Glen Whelan, David McGoldrick, and James McClean in the starting XI to face Denmark, the same team named by the manager to face Georgia the previous March.

Irish Player Transfers, Loans and Contracts - January 2018

Transfers

Wednesday, 3rd January

After five years at Scunthorpe, striker Paddy Madden signed for fellow League One side Fleetwood Town 🔗

Ahead of the 2018 League of Ireland season, former Ireland U19 left full Darragh Leahy signed for Bohemians following his release from Coventry City in December 2017 🔗

Ireland women’s U19 defender Keeva Keenan signed for Celtic FC women ahead of the 2018 season 🔗

After a successful trial, Ireland U19 winger Simon Power signed an 18 month contract with Norwich City 🔗

Thursday, 4th January

Defender Gavin Gunning signed an 18 month contract with Forest Green Rovers 🔗

Waterford’s Aaron Drinan signed a three and a half year contract with Ipswich Town 🔗

Tuesday, 9th January

Following his League of Ireland and FAI Cup double with Cork City, Ryan Delaney signed a two and a half year deal with Rochdale 🔗

Thursday, 11th January

Ireland B international Lee Frecklington returned to Lincoln City after signing a two and a half year deal 🔗

Friday, 12th January

U19 player Warren O’Hora signed a two and half year contract with Brighton and Hove Albion and will play for their under 23 side 🔗

Goalkeeper Tadhg Ryan signed for Galway United following his release from the Huddersfield Academy 🔗

Monday, 15th January

Following a successful loan spell at Oldham earlier in the season, Jack Byrne signed a two and a half year contract with the Latics 🔗

Tuesday, 16th January

Defender Shane Blaney left Finn Harps and signed a two and a half year contract with Donacaster Rovers 🔗

Friday, 19th January

Stephen Gleeson joined former manager Mick McCarthy at Ipswich Town, signing a contract until the end of the season 🔗

Striker Dean Ebbe signed for Welsh Premier League side The New Saints 🔗

Sean St Ledger signed for National League side Guiseley AFC 🔗

Wednesday, 24th January

Former St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians defender Paul Rooney signed an 18 month contract with Colchester United 🔗

Ireland U21 defender Danny Kane left Huddersfield to sign for Cork City 🔗

Saturday, 27th January

Following a loan spell with Walsall in the first half of the season, defender Shaun Donnellan has left West Brom to join Yeovil Town on an 18 month contract 🔗

Wednesday, 31 January

Following a short trial at Priestfield Stadium, Rhys Murphy signed for Gillingham until the end of the season 🔗

Ireland U19 defender Barry Cotter signed for Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town until 2021 🔗

Cyrus Christie left Middlesbrough to sign a three and a half year deal with Fulham 🔗

Former Liverpool youth player Alex O'Hanlon left St Patrick's Athletic and has signed for Glentoran 🔗

Loans

Wednesday, 3rd January

Highly rated winger Connor Ronan joined Portsmouth on loan until the end of the season, reuniting him with former manager Kenny Jackett 🔗

Friday, 5th January

U21 captain and Liverpool U23 defender Corey Whelan signed for Yeovil Town until the end of the season 🔗

Thursday, 11th January

Oldham Athletic midfielder Paul Green signed for Crewe Alexandra on loan until the end of the season 🔗

Thursday, 18th January

Callum Reilly signed for Gillingham on loan until the end of the season 🔗

Former U21 defender Emmanuel Osadebe signed for Newport County until the end of the season 🔗

Monday, 29th January

Former UCD player Dylan Watts signed for Bohemians on loan from Leicester until July

Wednesday, 31 January

QPR and Ireland U21 winger Olamide Shodipo signed for Colchester on loan until the end of the season 🔗

Eoin Doyle has returned to Oldham Athletic on loan until the end of the season 🔗

Stephen Henderson has returned to Portsmouth on loan until the end of the season 🔗

Contract

Wednesday, 17th January

Liam Kinsella extended his contract at Walsall until the summer of 2019 🔗

Talking Points

With the return of English Premier League football, how many of the 32 Irish players registered with English clubs will play in the EPL this season?
Noe Baba has signed for Championship side Birmingham City after his release by Fulham, can he progress to their first team?
It's less than a month to the Euro 2016 qualifiers, will there be any new call ups for those games?
After missing Aston Villa's opener against Bournemouth through injury, will Jack Grealish get a chance to impress the management side before the squad is announced?
Josh Cullen has already appeared three times this season for West Ham in the Europa League, should he be called into the squad to avoid a future tug of war with England for his services?
Similarly, Cillian Sheridan has found the back of the net three times already for new club Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League, is this enough to give the Cavan-born striker his first call up by the manager?
After impressing for Orlando City, Sean St Ledger has signed for Colorado Rapids. Despite playing in the MLS, should he be brought back into the senior setup?
Promising youth midfielder Jack Byrne is on loan in Holland with SC Cambuur, with the U21 campaign yet to complete, should he be promoted to the senior side?
Of the sides promoted to the Championship, who is a prospect for a senior cap? Greg Cunningham is the obvious choice, as a natural left full, but has he spent enough time at a high enough standard to be ready to return to international football?
Several players have been released by sides in England, and Scotland, over the summer. What can be done to entice them to return to play in the League of Ireland, alongside Damien Duff, Keith Fahey, Paddy Madden and Ian Morris?

Irish Abroad player statistics for May 2015

Appearance data for May 2015: http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/MonthlyStats?month=5
Defender Daniel Devine and midfielder Wes Hoolahan started four wins each, two more than any other player
Hoolahan was substituted in all four of these games which equals Jonathan Walters' record of four substitutions in the final month of the season
Conversely, midfielder Aaron Doran was introduced from the bench more than any other player, the tricky winger came off the bench three times for Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Sean St Ledger continued his American adventure with three draws in May, one more than fellow defender John O'Shea
St Ledger and Devine, along with Aston Villa's Jack Grealish also started more games in May, all three lined out for their respective sides five times, with St Ledger and Devine completing 90 minutes in all five
Everton duo Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy join Hull City trio Paul McShane, Stephen Quinn and Robbie Brady, as well as Richard Dunne, Jonathan Hayes and Grealish in starting three losses in May
Coleman also managed to accumulate three yellow cards in the four games he started
Joey O'Brien managed the rare feat for an outfield player of being an unused substitute more than any other player in May - remaining on the bench for four games in May, just ahead of goalkeeper Jack Bonham who was unused in three games
Daryl Murphy and Shane Long's two strikes were enough to top the scoring charts for Irish players in May, with Murphy scoring one of only two penalties in the month, along with Hoolahan
Murphy's brace came in a single game, which Ipswich still lost 3-2 to Blackburn, while Long's two goals were part of an emphatic win 6-1 for Southampton over Aston Villa

Talking Points

Darron Gibson has come off the bench for Everton in their last two league games, after almost three months out with an injury, is he going to appear for Ireland in a month's time?
Sean St Ledger is reportedly going to sign for Orlando City SC very soon, will he return to the national side, will Martin O'Neill or Roy Keane be flying to the Citrus Bowl to watch him?
Will Shane Long's return to Southampton, albeit as an unused substitute, what strikers will be looking to impress the management ahead of the squad announcement?
Robbie Brady has been impressing for Hull City in recent weeks in a left wing-back berth, should he be playing there for Ireland, or as an out and out winger?
Stephen Ireland has started three games in a row for Stoke for the first time this season. Let's just leave that one alone....
Kevin Doyle appeared for Wolves for the first time in over a year with a second half substitute appearance, should he look to push in the starting XI, or pursue a rumoured move to the MLS?
With Everton facing a striker shortage, can U21 striker Sam Byrne force his way into the first team at Goodison Park?
Conor Clifford scored for on Barnet at the weekend, can he make a return to league football?
Kevin Walker made his debut for Djurgårdens in their Swedish Cup game, can he make it to the senior Irish side?
The U19s are playing two friendlies against Azerbaijan in Tallaght Stadium this week ahead of the elite round qualifiers in Germany in a month's time. What players from the side will look to appear for the senior side?

Talking Points

Lamar Neagle of Seattle Sounders has expressed an interest in playing for the Republic of Ireland, but does he have the ability to replace one of the current squad's wingers - McClean, McGeady, Brady, or Pilkington?
Sean St Ledger is currently on trial at new MLS franchise Orlando City SC, after failing to get a contract at DC United, what would playing in Florida do for his international prospects?
Staying the MLS, with Kevin Doyle linked to Colorado Rapids, will a move to Denver affect his position in the Ireland squad?
Another recent exile is Kevin Foley, after moving to FC Kobenhavn of Denmark. Currently lying second in the Superliga, can playing on the continent get the full back into the senior side?
Kevin Walker scored a superb free kick for his new club Djurgårdens IF of Sweden, should the management team be booking a flight to Stockholm to watch the midfielder?
Following Rob Kiernan's loan move to Birmingham, and ironically moving up the Championship table, can he solidify their backline and make a late push for the play offs?
19 year old former Shelbourne winger Dylan Connolly was named on the bench for Ipswich this weekend, after a protracted transfer was finally completed. With the Tractor Boys challenging for a promotion this season, will we see him in the Premier League next season?
Seamus Coleman was linked with a move to German giants Bayern Munich in the weekend's papers, but can he replace Philip Lahm?
With a change in management at Aston Villa, how will this affect the careers of the Irish contingent at Villa Park?
Stephen Henderson returned in goals for Charlton at the weekend, with the keepers in the squad aging, can he make a case for inclusion?

Talking Points

Does James McCarthy's latest injury have any long term repercussions for his career, bearing in mind he's been playing senior football regularly since he was 16?
Following the reveal of John Delaney singing in a bar after the USA game, should a code of conduct be introduced for the CEO?
Roy Keane has stepped down from his role with Aston Villa, how will this affect his role with the Republic of Ireland, and the Irish players at Villa Park?
Following Robbie Keane's victory in the Western Conference, should more Irish players consider a career in the MLS as an alternative to England?
With Sean St Ledger back in football at Ipswich Town, can he return to the international squad?
Alan Judge has the joint second number of assists in the Championship, should he be called into the squad, or does he offer anything that isn't already in the squad with McGeady, Brady, Pilkington and McClean, and possible Grealish?
Glenn Whelan was introduced from the bench, and then substituted with an injury before the end of the game last weekend for Stoke. Will he be recovered from his recent injury niggles before the international games return in the new year?
Eoin Doyle currently leads League One goalscorers with 16 goals. If this continues, can he follow in Paddy Madden's footsteps and progress to the senior international side?
Patrick Hoban and Rory Gaffney have agreed to join Oxford United and Cambridge United, respectively. Does this raise the profile of the league, or is the cost of losing the better players too high?
Chris McCann has continued his comeback from injury with a goal in only his fourth game, should the management be watching him with a view to calling him up?

Goalscorers under Trapattoni

Unsurprisingly, Robbie Keane scored the most goals during Trapattoni's reign. The Tallaght striker notched an incredible 28 goals in five years under the Italian. No other player managed to get into double figures, with Kevin Doyle and Shane Long coming closest with seven and six goals, respectively. In midfield, Keiths Andrews and Fahey both scored three goals for the venerable manager, however Aiden McGeady managed two strikes in competitive games, one more than his fellow midfielders' total in competitive matches.
In defence, mainstays Sean St Ledger and Richard Dunne both scored three times, with all six goals from the duo coming in competitive games, to top the goalscoring charts for defenders. St Ledger possibly has a slight edge, due to his close range header against Croatia in the European Championship finals.

P.S. If you mouseover a player other than Robbie Keane in the goals section in the infographic - http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Blog - several other players are highlighted - why is that?