PAT DEVLIN will be hoping that the England semi professional team facing his National League side at Richmond Park tonight (7.45) will meet their match.
Devlin has unhappy memories of last year's meeting at Kidderminster when a National League First Division selection was roundly beaten 4-0 by a very strong English side made up mainly from players playing in the Vauxhall Conference.
St Patrick's defender Packie Lynch was yesterday drafted into the Irish squad as a replacement for Shelbourne's Greg Costello who has not played in his club's last three games due to injury.
Devlin also felt the need to call up Shamrock Rovers' in form striker Tony Cousins to strengthen his attacking options after it was decided not to consider Shelbourne's Tony Sheridan who has failed to shake off a bout of flu. He won't be naming his side until later today.
The English have had their selection problems also with team manager Ron Reid having to call up goalkeeper Scott Cooksey and former Oxford United striker David Leeworthy. They replace Laurence Batty, who broke a finger while playing for Woking at the weekend, and Ian Cooke who is suspended.
"Most of the players in my squad would have no problem walking into English league teams. But they prefer the part time set up at non league clubs," said Reid.
The main threat to the National League defence will stem from strikers Lee Hughes, who has scored 23 goals this season for Kidderminster, and Hednesford Town's Joe O'Connor, scorer of some spectacular goals in this season's English FA Cup.
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