Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has been handed the chance to make the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper’s jersey his own.
In the past 12 months, Portsmouth’s Gavin Bazunu has been Ireland’s first-choice stopper. However, it is a role he will relinquish for the next two matches.
The 20-year-old, who is currently on loan at Pompey from Manchester City, was forced to withdraw from the Ireland squad on Thursday morning due to illness. As a result, Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has confirmed that Kelleher has been given the nod for Saturday’s friendly clash with Belgium, and Tuesday's game with Lithuania.
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Kenny believes that Kelleher, who scored the winning penalty for the Reds in last month’s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, deserves his upcoming chance and that the only reason he has not been playing more is due to Bazunu’s form.
He said: “Caoimhin will definitely start, that’s absolutely right, for sure. He’ll most likely play the two matches now, I think it’s fair to say, and deservedly so.
“He’s had to be patient because of an unfortunate injury. He missed the last March camp with injury and Gavin Bazunu has come in and been absolutely outstanding.
“We’re on a run of four and a half games now consecutively without conceding a goal – and Caoimhin has played his part in that because he played against Qatar.
“In Caoimhin’s two matches to date against Qatar and Hungary, he hasn’t conceded a goal either, so he deserves his chance because he’s been absolutely excellent.”
Asked which of Kelleher’s qualities stood out, he said: “His composure under pressure and his general athleticism, his ability to make brilliant saves.
“But obviously he’s been in a great environment at Liverpool for a few years now and training every day at a very high standard and playing in the games that he’s played in, so he’s got good experience.”
