McClean reveals how he silenced Keane after furious half-time dressing room row on Ireland duty

James McClean has lifted the lid on a blazing half-time row with Roy Keane during Republic of Ireland duty in June 2017, describing how the Manchester United legend got “right in his face” after a poor first half — and how he responded by scoring in the following match.

The incident occurred during a friendly against Mexico in New Jersey, a game in which McClean, captaining Ireland for his 50th international cap, conceded a penalty and struggled as his side fell to a 3-1 defeat. Keane, serving as assistant to manager Martin O’Neill at the time, directed his anger squarely at the winger at the interval.

Writing in his autobiography The Walls, McClean recalled: “Martin had just finished his bit when Roy came over, got right in my face and started fing me out of it. ‘Look at you, the fing captain, fing giving off, yeah? You were taking pictures before the game with fing Mick Conlan. Your head isn’t f***ing in it.’” Keane appeared particularly irritated by McClean posing for photographs with Irish boxer Mick Conlan ahead of kick-off.

The confrontation did not end at half-time. Keane renewed his attack during a gym session, accusing McClean of having “a big ego” and, according to McClean, even raising an incident involving a Lamborghini at Sunderland that had taken place six years earlier. “I was thinking he must have been seething for the afternoon, gathering information,” McClean wrote.

McClean’s response was emphatic. He scored in Ireland’s next outing, a 3-1 friendly win over Uruguay, and marked the goal with a selfie celebration — a pointed nod to Keane’s criticism about his pre-match photo with Conlan.

McClean went on to earn 103 caps for Ireland, scoring 11 goals in total. Now 37, he returned to hometown club Derry City in January 2026 but has not featured for the side since August following a public dispute with the club’s hierarchy.

Keane departed his role as Ireland’s assistant in November 2018, leaving alongside O’Neill after the team failed to win a single match throughout that year. His last coaching position was a five-month stint as O’Neill’s assistant at Nottingham Forest; since then he has concentrated on his media career.