FORMER Colchester United attacker Sammie Szmodics has been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

The 28-year-old ex-U's favourite has been in fine form for Championship side Blackburn Rovers and has been rewarded with selection for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar.

Colchester-born Szmodics, who qualifies for Ireland through his grandmother who was born in Granard, Longford, has been called up in place of the injured Aaron Connolly.

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The former Stanway School pupil has scored seven goals for Blackburn so far this season and has also supplied two assists.

 

Szmodics also netted in Blackburn's 4-0 win at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship, last Saturday.

Republic of Ireland take on Greece at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night before playing Gibraltar in Faro in another qualifier, next Monday.

Szmodics was previously called up to the Republic of Ireland squad in May 2021 but he was forced to pull out, due to injury.

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Szmodics recently clocked up half a century of games for Blackburn.

He scored a total of 40 times in 165 appearances for his home town club Colchester, between 2013 and 2019.

Szmodics twice finished as the U's top scorer during his time at the JobServe Community Stadium.

He ended his 16-year association with the U's when he joined Championship side Bristol City, in the summer of 2019.