Luck of the Irish deserts O'Toole

5 goals in 7 games simply isn`t enough for some people it seems…either that or Republic of Ireland boss Trapattoni doesn`t know where Watford is.

Well there can be no other reason why free scoring Hornets midfielder (and ROI U21 match winner) John-Joe O`Toole has been overlooked for a youthful Ireland squad for a challenge match against Nottingham Forest.

O`Toole, who has netted 3 goals in his last 4 appearances, has a happy habit of being in the right place at the right time but his timing was all out when the 22-man party for the FAI Senior Challenge Match was announced.

The game is dubbed as 'Giovanni Trapattoni`s plan to run the rule over some of his promising youngsters in the run-up to October`s World Cup qualifiers`. The Italian don even praised U21 boss Don Givens and his scouting team for "identifying many new players who are performing well this year"…

Well Mr Givens - hold your head in shame because you`ve missed a right ol` beauty down at Vicarage Road. Shaggy haired O`Toole has been on fire in front of goal these last few weeks.

Maybe it`s because the Watford midfielder doesn`t play for a fashionable club - Man Utd midfielder Darron Gibson (yes we said 'Who?` as well) got a call up after just 1 League Cup game.

Maybe it`s because the Hornets aren`t riding high on a Championship crest of a wave - Wolves` midfielder Andy Keogh (only 1 goal this season) and Darren Potter (hasn`t played this campaign) got the nod!

Ok, so the likes of Owen Garven, QPR`s Martin Rowlands, Stoke`s Liam Lawrence and Wes Hoolahan of Norwich have all got pedigree..

...but even Alex Bruce of Ipswich got the nod - and he wouldn`t even got into our injury riddled Watford squad!!!

Which all in all makes O`Toole`s exclusion just a tad strange.

Still if the ROI don`t like goalscoring midfielders who can sniff out a chance and still find the net for a struggling team with a treatment room with more casualties than Dublin A&E on a Friday night then, hey, it`s their loss.

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