Young Dubs - as different as chalk and cheese - go for it

DUBLIN accents apart, the two new boys in the fold, Kenny Cunningham and Alan Moore, appear about as similar as your average chunks of chalk and cheese. The one of course, is a Mr Dependable defender, Cunningham, while the other is an attacking, flair player, Moore. Their personalities would almost suggest they should be the other way around.

Their routes to the wearing of the green for the first time in Prague are also starkly contrasting. The 24-year-old Cunningham's has been the more circuitous. Arriving by way of Home Farm and Tolka Rovers to Millwall six seasons ago. Cunningham survived four mangers in his time at the Den, culminating, prophetically for him, in Mick McCarthy.

From the start, McCarthy has been eyeing up Cunningham for the right side of his back three. "Kenny is one of those very dependable players. You play him at right back, centre back, left back, and he'll always do a job for you. He's quick enough, and a good footballer. I saw him do a man-to-man marking job on Gheorge Kinkladze for Wimbledon recently. So I've no worries about Kenny he's fine," concluded McCarthy almost paternally.

Admired for all of this, eventually Joe Kinnear's opportunism in the transfer market saw Cunningham elevated to the Premiership midway through last season. McCarthy was not inclined to sell him, and Cunningham enjoyed being part of a young Millwall, "but as is often the case finances dictate in this gage so we (John Goodman and himself) were on our way.

Obviously, Cunningham takes things in his stride, like today's game. The plethora of full-backs had obliged him to "bide his time and his mind set was already on summer holidays when the "surprise" call-up came. Right-full back is his favourite position, but he doesn't appear too fussy, and clearly possesses a wide tactical appreciation

"In this system the emphasis is on good passing and movement. I think Mick has been trying to encourage that over the past couple of days. Obviously we don't want to get into a set pattern of play of little five-yard passes all over the pitch. You have to got to mix it up but certainly the onus is on passing the ball and keep in possession, especially at this level."

In contrast, Moore is a reluctant convert from an old-fashioned left-winger. It was in this position that the Finglas-reared ex-Rivermount player first starred, before, ironically becoming a victim of the 3-5-2 system employed by Bryan Rob son at Middlesbrough.

"That's the way it is now. Most teams in the world play this system. I'll just have to adapt," he says with an utterly resigned air. The 21-year-old has returned to the Middlesbrough team for their last two games as a central mid-fielder after his worst, injury-plagued season so far.

"I've been getting a pain in my arse, splinters and everything I have," from 24 selections as sub. "But surprisingly enough, in the disappointment of this season you get called into the Irish squad," he says with puzzlement. "The bench is the most I was hoping for. To be playing is absolutely brilliant."

A goalscorer on his debuts for the Irish schoolboys, youths and under-21s, and Middlesbrough, he declines further elaboration on this prodigious sequence.

Surprisingly hard on himself all told Moore comes across as a slightly frustrated young player. He could do with a pick-me-up and nothing better therefore than seeing the sequence maintained.