Boy 2 Irish title winner set for Ireland International football debut
Not in the manner or the field they initially thought but St Coleman’s Boxing Club will be celebrating one of their own becoming a senior International this week.
The amateur club that has led kids from East Cork to various boxing successes over the years will claim a football assist this coming week.
One of their former boxers Jake O’Brien has been called into the Ireland squad for the upcoming internationals against Belgium and Switzerland – and looks certain to get a first cap.
The young Cork defender is having a remarkable maiden season playing for Lyon in the French top flight, Ligue 1, having joined from Crystal Palace over the summer.
A hero to the French club’s fans, the 22-year-old should be capped by John O’Shea over the coming days – and many argue he will be a mainstay in the Irish team for quite some time.
Instead of representing Ireland in football, O’Brien could have been targeting Olympic success this year. The emerging football star has boxing previous and was as much of a success in boxing boots as he was with boots with stood underneath as a kid.
O’Brien won the National Boy 2 Irish title at 42kg at National Stadium in the 2014 version of the tournament.
He didn’t quite go on to fight for Ireland but he will represent his country on the sporting field and claims all the sports he partook has helped his development.
