Ramelton soccer star Barry McNamee is still reeling after making his debut for the Ireland Under 21 squad against Denmark last weekend.
Barry McNamee
It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Donegal man who won an FAI Cup medal with Derry City and is currently being chased by a bunch of cross-channel clubs.
Ireland open their 2015 UEFA Championship qualifying campaign on August 14 and McNamee is firmly in manager Noel King’s thoughts for that trip to Faroe Islands.
King sent the 21-year-old Derry ace on at half-time in Fredericia and five minutes later had to switch him to left-back after Seán McGinty’s red card.
Ten-man Ireland held out resolutely for a scoreless draw.
McNamee told the Irish Sun: “My main aim on my first cap was to impress and stay in the squad for the qualifier.
“I would have preferred to play in midfield but didn’t mind being shifted to left-back. Plenty of times this season I’ve had to do that for Derry City and I thought I did reasonably well for Ireland there.”
It was only late in his teens that the playmaker from Ramelton in Co Donegal came to the attention of FAI scouts.
Indeed, when a McNamee was called up to the FAI Emerging Talent Centre in Letterkenny, it was his younger brother Tony.
Barry admitted: “It’s taken a long time for my Ireland debut but I’m delighted to realise the ambition now.
“I’m not one to get nervous before games. I dealt fine at Lansdowne Road last November — and it was same in Denmark.”
It proved to a hectic weekend for McNamee as he played his second match in the space of 24 hours back in Ireland.
Candystripes boss Declan Devine gave the Airtricity League Player of the Month for April a full 90 minutes in Saturday afternoon’s FAI Cup second-round tie away to Cork-based junior side Blarney United.
McNamee explained: “We got back from Denmark to Dublin Airport at 11am on Saturday morning where a car collected me to bring me to Blarney.
“It was a busy couple of days but I’m happy to play for club and country.”