International Roundup: Westwood & O'Shea Do Well, McClean Absent For Ireland

We continue to bring you reports on how the Sunderland contingent have done on the recent international round of games, and this one has a distinctly Irish flavour as we report on how John O'Shea, Kieren Westwood and James McClean performed for the senior side against Hungary.

Not only those three, but youth team defender John Egan was in action for the Under-21 side as they took on Italy in a U21 European Championships qualifier. Join us as we recap all the action...

After a lengthy rain and lightening delay, the teams finally emerged from the tunnel in Budapest, however it was not quite the team some of us expected as James McClean was not included among the starting eleven, or the substitutes. Good news and bad news was later confirmed as McClean wasn't injured, although Giovanni Trapattoni declared that this starting lineup was the one which would start in Ireland's first group game against Croatia, barring any injuries in training. No McClean.

John O'Shea however did start, and took up position at right back. O'Shea missed a decent chance in the opening ten minutes when he nodded Damien Duff's cross over the bar. He was fairly solid and unspectacular at full back for the Irish, and on another venture forward late in the game, played an excellent ball through to Jon Walters, who's shot was palmed away.

Kieren Westwood appeared as a second half substitute for Shay Given, who made a series of outstanding saves to keep the scores level at the break, but had been suffering a few injury problems during the week. With the nasty weather in Budapest, Trapattoni was taking no chances.

Westwood was called into action early, making a superb low stop from Balazs Dzsudzsak's deflected effort, but aside from that had little to do as Ireland gained more of a foothold in the game. Westwood did everything he needed to do well though.

Earlier in the day in Sligo, John Egan once again started for the Irish Under-21 side against Italy as they attempted to qualify for the next U21 European Championships. Egan started the game once again at right back, just as he did against Denmark last week, and despite a rocky start for him and his teammates, Egan acquitted himself well against a strong Italian outfit, including Newcastle fullback Davide Santon and Siena striker Mattia Destro.

Sweden take on Serbia tomorrow night, with Seb Larsson expected to see some action as Erik Hamren's side complete their warm ups to the summer's tournament.