Graham Gartland tips Jack Byrne to earn Ireland recall for June

Graham Gartland believes Jack Byrne is playing his way into the Republic of Ireland squad for June and is offering attributes that Stephen Kenny will value in certain fixtures.

The Boys in Green return to international action in about six weeks' time with the start of the next UEFA Nations League campaign, with Armenia up first on 4 June.

Byrne has won four caps to date but his last involvement with Ireland on the pitch was back in November 2020, early in Kenny's tenure.

Since then a difficult spell in Cyprus with APOEL, coupled with injuries, held him back but as Byrne himself told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast late last year, his return to Shamrock Rovers offered an opportunity to bounce back and regain form and confidence before any international ambitions spring to mind.

Given the lack of matches played over the previous 12 months, Byrne wasn't included in the squad for the end of March friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania.

But after sprinklings of magic earlier in the season, the 25-year-old has been back to his brilliant best in recent weeks exemplified by his showing in the 3-1 derby win over Bohemians on Friday.

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Kenny was in the stands for that one and former Shamrock Rovers, St Johnstone and Drogheda United defender Graham Gartland feels Byrne's audition in front of the Ireland boss will stand him in good stead for when the next squad is picked.

"If he keeps going the way he's going, I think he should be in with a shout," Gartland told this Monday's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

He pointed to