Honohan happy to take the long way to international destination

Irish Examiner

22-05-2025

As players born two months apart, defenders Josh Honohan and Jake O'Brien will reflect on different paths when they reunite on Ireland duty at the end of next week.
Honohan was the first to graduate from the Cork City academy to feature under Neale Fenn in 2019.
Their time together in the Rebels first-team was against the echo of empty stadiums in the covid-enforced shortened 2020 season.
By the time O'Brien was snapped up by Crystal Palace the following year, Honohan was developing into a mainstay of Colin Healy's rebuilt City team in the First Division.
Each have sampled highpoints since – O'Brien scoring in the French Cup final before joining Everton and Honohan facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for Shamrock Rovers – and the duo could form part of the Ireland backline.
Like his peer, he was something of a late developer on the international circuit. Their first invites received were at U21 level but senior boss Heimir Hallgrímsson is a fan of both 24-year-olds.
O'Brien started Ireland's last match against Bulgaria, a window Honohan was placed on standby for.
He's been promoted to the full squad for the summer friendlies, in line to make his debut against Senegal or Luxembourg on June 6 and 10 respectively.
'Jake and I played in the Cork City academy for two or three years,' he said. 'I'd still be in contact with Jake sometimes. He's a very good player and most importantly he's a really good person, so I'm happy to see how well he's done the last couple of years.'
Honohan wasn't banking on international recognition, neither starting out on the League of Ireland circuit or even up to recently.
So much so, he'd planned to spend the summer break with a trip to the sun rather than rely on it involving Ireland duty.
'I was supposed to go away with a couple of mates to Malaga,' he confessed with a laugh.
'I'd no insurance so won't get anything back but, here, I'll be alright. I'm not complaining. There'll be time to get away at the end of the year.
'This is a really proud moment for myself and my family. There's still a couple of games left with Rovers, starting with a tough one up in Derry City on Friday, but it's something to look forward to.'
Honohan caught the Ireland bug when starting out as an impressionable 13-year-old footballer.
'My first trip to an Ireland match was on a school trip with Rochestown College,' he recalls of the 4-1 win over USA at Lansdowne Road.
'I must have only been in second year so that's the one that always stands out. I always think you always remember the first time for everything.
'The atmosphere was brilliant and even as a small kid, looking at the players that were playing that night, that was the dream I had as a kid.
'It's mad. I was only speaking to my family and aunts the other day and they still go on about Italia '90 and how good that was for Ireland.
'With the World Cup qualifiers coming up, I think it's something that they're targeting and I think that's the aim for everybody obviously to get to the tournament.
'Cork is big into its sport so I'm sure they'll travel well. Hopefully my family, including grandparents, will get up to Dublin for the Senegal match.' His form and versatility generate optimism of figuring against the African aristocrats.
Robbie Brady played and scored in that USA win which Honohan padlocks as a memory and is still around the panel at 33.
Left-back shortages are so acute that the manager made an exception in his selection policy of granting Championship regulars a rest by retaining Brady. Honohan appears to be the closest deputy.
'I mainly play left-wing back in a five for Rovers but have done so previously in a four,' he outlined about adapting to the changed Ireland formation.
'Playing in a five is a small bit different in the way you build up the play but I've played left-back before with Cork and before that in those academy years. It is familiar to me and I do believe that I can play as a left back.'
It's all pointing towards the Cork presence in the Ireland team swelling.
'There's Adam Idah, Caoimhín Kelleher and Jake O'Brien, so adding me as a fourth is definitely good for Cork football.'