Raivis Jurkovskis became the first Dundalk FC player to take part in a World Cup qualifier since 1937 when he started for Latvia in their Group G clash with Montenegro in Riga on Tuesday night.
Eighty-four years after Billy O’Neill appeared for the Irish Free State in a qualifier against Norway, Jurkovskis played the full 90 minutes but couldn’t stop Latvia from slipping to a 2-1 loss.
Tommy McConville and Turlough O’Connor both won caps for the Republic of Ireland in a European Championship qualifier against Austria in 1971
Jurkovskis is also the first Lilywhites player to be capped at international level since Mick Fairclough, who appeared in two friendlies for the Republic of Ireland back in 1982.
Next up for Latvia is a trip to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands on Saturday followed by another away game next Tuesday when they face Turkey in Istanbul.
