Emerging full-back deficit underlines pathway issues for Ireland - Conan Byrne

The dearth of emerging full-backs ready to follow in the footsteps of the Republic of Ireland's current incumbents continues to highlight the development pathway issues caused by under-funding within the Irish game according to former St Patrick's Athletic and Shelbourne midfielder Conan Byrne.

Ireland captain Seamus Coleman, Matt Doherty, Robbie Brady and Enda Stevens are the players naturally primed to take up the full-back or wing-back positions for Tuesday's friendly against Hungary (live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ 2fm) and next week's fixture in Portugal.

But while all four have been steadfast servants for the Boys in Green, the youngest members of that quartet - Doherty and Brady - are 32 years of age, while over the weekend interim manager John O'Shea appeared to suggest the door is not completely shut on a potential international comeback for James McClean.

All of which suggests that there is a pressing need for younger options to emerge and grasp the baton in the longer-term.

Udinese's three-time capped Festy Ebosele has featured in previous squads but was not included this time, while Under-21 international Sam Curtis is one to watch having made his first steps for Sheffield United and Newcastle's Galway native Alex Murphy, who can play left-back as well as his main centre-back role, is simlilarly on the fringes of the Magpies' first-team

Among the more experienced options, Southampton's Ryan Manning has earned 11 caps to date but the 28-year-old has not fully established himself as the leading option on the left side.

Either way, the Galwegian is not in the squad for June and the aforementioned quartet will continue to occupy the wing-back or full-back slots depending on whether Ireland line up in a back three or