French form puts Jake O'Brien in frame for Ireland debut

It was no surprise when the uncapped Jake O’Brien was named in the Ireland squad for the upcoming internationals against Belgium and Switzerland.

The young Cork defender is having a remarkable maiden season playing for Lyon in the French top flight, Ligue 1, and things are going from strength to strength for O’Brien who bagged the matchwinner in a come-from-behind five-goal thriller away to Toulouse on Friday night.

O’Brien has spent the last three years on the books of Crystal Palace, having signed from Cork City, and while unable to break into the first team in the Premier League, he gained valuable experience at Swindon first, before making another loan move to Belgian side RWD Molenbeek last season.

Returning to his parent club last summer following the successful stint in Belgium, O’Brien was not long in London but rather returned to the continent, this time on a permanent deal to Olympique Lyonnais.

A slow, steady start was expected for the emerging Irish defender, however, as the team slumped to an awful opening to the campaign, O’Brien worked his way into the first XI and proved instrumental as things started to change for the better for the team based at the foothills of the Alps.

In fact, Lyon won their first league game of the current season at the 11th time of asking, as they went away to Rennes on 12 November – the campaign started on 13 August – and won 1-0.

O’Brien became an instant hero as he scored the vital goal that began the slow and steady rise up the rankings to their current position, a lofty tenth place, well clear of the relegation zone.

And as the club game prepared for the first international break of the new year, the 22-year-old received a timely phone call making sure that he did not book any