Heimir Hallgrímsson has called four League of Ireland players into his squad ahead of the friendlies against Qatar and Canada.
Bohemians’ Dawson Devoy and Drogheda United’s Conor Kane(Image: INPHO/Dan Clohessy)
Bohemians have confirmed that midfielder Dawson Devoy will miss the friendly against Qatar on May 28.
Devoy will instead play in next Monday’s League of Ireland clash with rivals Shamrock Rovers and on Friday against Sligo Rovers, and then link up with Heimir Hallgrímsson’s squad in time for the flight to Canada.
Ireland will round off their summer friendly schedule with a game in Montreal in the early hours of June 6.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley confirmed earlier on Thursday that his two Ireland call-ups Ed McGinty and Adam Brennan would join Hallgrímsson’s squad ahead of the Qatar game, meaning they would miss the Bohs game.
Later on Thursday, Bohs boss Alan Reynolds said that Devoy would link up later with the Ireland squad.
He said: “This is a massive honour for Dawson, and something everyone involved in the club – his team-mates, the staff and our supporters – are rightly very proud of, and delighted for him too on a personal level.
“This isn’t a token call-up either. It’s something he deserves.
“He has been in and around the conversations for previous squads and has been in provisional squads, I’ve had the pleasure of working with him previously with the U21s and I think he has the talent, the skillset and the mentality to make the step up to senior level.
“Supporters of the club don’t need to tell me how big an impact Dawson has made at this club. He is obviously our captain and our captain for a reason, and it is a role he has really grown into.
“But he is so much more than that – for me he is the best midfielder in the league. He is a joy to work with and he is a joy to watch.
“I’ve said for a long time that I saw him as a future Ireland international, so we are over the moon for him that he has got this opportunity.
“It’s also a really exciting time for everyone at the club and Dawson is central to that. We have three massive games coming up over the couple of weeks, then we have Dawson travelling with the Ireland squad at the end of next week and then next month we have our European draw.
“It’s a lot to look forward to in a short space of time and we want to embrace and enjoy every minute of it – it’s periods like this that everyone in football aims to be involved in, so as players, staff and supporters we want to make the best of it and kick on together.”
The 24-year-old will also play in next Friday’s game away to Sligo Rovers, before joining the Ireland squad on Saturday.
“Whenever a player gets international recognition, as a club we want to put their name up in lights because it’s a huge honour and one they have really worked hard for,” Reynolds continued.
“You want them to enjoy the moment and to enjoy the deserved praise that comes with it.
“But when the Ireland squad was named on Monday, we had to pause and check what the implications were for everyone – ourselves as a team and club, Dawson himself and obviously the international set-up and manager as well.
“I have said repeatedly that I never want to stand in any player’s way when it comes to representing their country – we want our players getting international recognition. But the Qatar game falling outside the international window added a complication.
“It was the right thing to do to take a breath and see what that meant for everyone and whether disruption to our own fixtures could be avoided.
“Thankfully we have spoken to Heimir who respects our league and knows how important it is for us to have Dawson available for us for two big league games next week.
“The correct decision was made that he will link up with the Ireland squad after those games and we are really looking forward now to our own games ahead, and looking forward to Dawson showing what he can do with the Ireland set-up afterwards.”
If he is capped against Canada, Devoy will be the first Bohemians player to win that honour since Glen Crowe against Greece on November 20, 2002, Devoy’s first birthday.
The midfielder reacted to his call-up, saying: “This is a proud moment for me and my family. It has been a dream of mine since I was a kid to play for my country, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity of linking up with the squad, showing the manager what I can do in training, and hopefully getting an opportunity.
“I was proud to represent Ireland at Under-19 and Under-21 level but to get an opportunity to represent your country at senior level would be a dream come true.
“I want to make my club proud, my family proud as well as all the coaches and players who have helped me get to this point.”