Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland Combined team

N.Ireland vs Ireland

From 1882 to 1950, the name Ireland national team was used by the Irish Football Association (IFA).  It consisted of players from the entire Ireland.  After the partition of Ireland in the 1920s, another team was organized by Football Association of Ireland (FAI). They also competed with the name Ireland from 1937 and 1952.  So two different team was playing as Ireland in the period and some players were playing for both teams.  In 1953, the FAI was officially recognized as Ireland while the national team by IFA became Northern Ireland.  Due to the complexity of Irish question, players who played for any of the Ireland national team are eligible to be on this team.

This is my selection of  the Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland Combined team.  I have also create all-time teams for both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Team
GK: Pat Jennings (N.Ireland)
Considered among the greatest goalkeeper of all-time.  He played for both Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal.  He earned 119 caps for Northern Ireland and went to two WC Finals. 

Pat Jennings

GK: Shay Given (Ireland)
He earned 126 caps for Ireland.  He was voted into PFA Team of the Year twice, 2001-2002 and 2005-2006.

GK: Harry Gregg (N.Ireland)
Matt Busby's goalkeeper from 9 seasons.  He survived the Munich Air Disaster.  He was voted best goalkeeper of the tournament at the 1958 World Cup, where Northern Ireland reached the quarter-finals.

RB: Billy McCracken (N.Ireland) 
He was one of the most successful defender of his time.  He was known for setting the offside trap for the attackers.  The offside rule was changed because of him. 

RB: John Carey (Ireland/N.Ireland) 
In 1949, he was voted the FWA Footballer of the Year and in the same year captained the FAI XI that defeated England, becoming the first non-UK team to beat England at home.

CB/DM: Paul McGrath (Ireland) 
One of Ireland's greatest players.  He appeared at the 1990 and 1994 World Cup Finals, as well as Euro 1988.  He had a run-in with Sir Alex at Manchester United and moved to Aston Villa where he won the PFA Player of the Year in 1993. 

Paul McGarth

CB: Mark Lawrenson (Ireland)
A key defender for Liverpool in the 1980's.  He won one European Cup and 5 league titles.

CB: David O’Leary (Ireland)
He played over 700 times for Arsenal, at one point the appearance record holder.  He won two league titles. 

CB: Charlie Hurley (Ireland) 
He was voted as Sunderland's greatest player in 1999 and then, Millwall's greatest players in 2007.   

LB/RB: Denis Irwin (Ireland) 

Alex Ferguson considered him his greatest ever signing.  He played over 200 games for Manchester United, winning the Champions' League in 1999 and 7 Premiership titles.

LB: Alf McMichael (N.Ireland)
He played over 400 times for Newcastle United.  He won the 1952 FA Cup.

CM/DM: Roy Keane (Ireland)
Captain of Manchester United from 1997 to 2005, where he won one Champions' League, 7 Preimer League titles and 4 FA Cups.  He was the PWA Player of the Year in 2000.  He palyed for Ireland at USA 1994, but was sent home 4 years later before the start of the WC in 2002.

Roy Keane

CM/M: Johnny Giles (Ireland)
An all-time great for Leeds United in the 1970's where he won two English league titles.  He was voted as Ireland's greatest player at  at the UEFA Jubilee Awards in 2004.

CM/AM:  Danny Blanchflower (N.Ireland)
He won the Double in 1961 with Tottenham Hotspurs.  He won the FA Cup the following year, and then, a Cup Winners' Cup in 1963.  He was PWA Player of the Year in 1958 and 1961. He went to the World Cup in 1958. 

LM/CM: Ronnie Whelan (Ireland)
Played for Liverpool during the 1980's.  He won one European Cup and 6 league titles.
  
LW/RW: George Best (N.Ireland)
Considered to be one of the greatest players ever played the game.  He was one of the "United's Trinity".  He led Manchester United to their first (and also first ever for an English club) European Cup in 1968.  He won the PWA PLayer of the Year award and the Ballon d'Or that year.

George Best

RW: Billy Bingham (N.Ireland) 
He was at one point the cap record holder for Norther Ireland. He helped them to qualoify for Sewden 1958, where North Ireland reached the quarter-final.  He won a league title with Everton in 1963.

LW/AM: Liam Brady (Ireland)
He played over 200 times for Arsenal in the 1980's.  He was the PWA Player of the Year in 1979.  He was one of the few successful Irish players playing outside the UK.  In 1980, he moved to Juventus, where he won two Series A titles in two seasons.  He went on to play for Inter Milan and Ascoli.

LW: Damien Duff (Ireland) 
He won two Premiership titles with Chelsea.   He was remembered for his performance at WC 2002 and captained Ireland at Euro 2012.

RW/FW: Patsy Gallacher (N.Ireland/Ireland)
He was nicknamed "Mighty Atom".   He was considered one of the greatest Celtics players ever.  The 1925 Scottish FA Cup Final was called "the Patsy Gallacher" final after he scored a somersault goal.  He played 12 times for IFA (now called Northern Ireland) and one time for FAI (Ireland).

ST: Robbie Keane (Ireland) 
He is the all-time leading scorer and cap record holder for Ireland and he is currently the highest international scorer among active player.  He had played in Italy and England, and now is playing in the USA.

Robbie Keane

ST: Frank Stapleton (Ireland) 
He was Ireland's all-time leading scorer for a decade.  He captained Ireland at Euro 1988, Ireland's first major tournament.

ST:  John Aldridge (Ireland)
He is still the 6th highest goal scorer in the history of English football.  He was best remembered with his career at Liverpool.

Squad Explanation

•  I think Shay Given is now the greatest keeper for the Republic over Packie Bonner.
• Ireland had a large number of great center-backs.  I could find space for Robert Milne (N.Ireland), Terry Neil(N.Ireland), Alan McDonald (N.Ireland), Steve Staunton and Kevin Moran(Ireland). I also wanted to select Steve Finnan as a fullback. 
• Best and Bingham took over two wing spots.  I have no space for Ray Houghton (Ireland) 
• I dropped Niall Quinn and picked Stapleton and Aldridge because they are two of my personal favorites. Norman Whiteside was also considered too.

Jennings, Best and Bingham

Starting lineup

Formation 4-4-2

I moved Denis Irwin to the rightback, which was actually his natural position. Liam Brady had a great left foot.  He occupied the left midfield, but he would cut inside and playmake.  Best could play on either side.