Our intention to pick a six-counties Republic of Ireland XI was complicated by the fact that the stingy Northerners have failed to provide us with a single goalkeeper.
We thought briefly about embarking on a brief raid across the border into Donegal where goalkeepers are plentiful. The team would thus have to be renamed 'The Six Counties/Ulster' Republic of Ireland XI.
Ultimately, this was too clunky a title for the team. And so, we could do nothing only re-tool an outfield player and plonk him in goal.
Aside from this glitch, it wasn't too tough to cobble together a team of six counties players who've represented the FAI. Most of the players are drawn from either the very recent past of that time in the 30s and 40s when players switched allegiances very freely.
GK: Jackie Vernon
In the absence of a goalkeeper, we have asked Carrickfergus-born Belfast Celtic centre-half Jackie Vernon to stand in goal. He played on the Iberian tour of 1946 alongside a number of his northern colleagues. The FAI were trying to flex their muscle and extend their control over the island at the time.
Vernon spent the latter part of his career with West Bromwich Albion.
RB: Alex Bruce
Qualifies to play for either part of the island that he wishes to play for through his Bangor grandmother.
As was his father who disclosed this week that Jackie offered him a place at the 1994 World Cup. In an era when club teams were only allowed play three foreign players in Europe, Alex Ferguson was very reluctant to create another foreigner out of an Englishman. He clamped down on the idea.
Alex Bruce has hopped over and back between the two teams. At U21 level, he was called up by Northern Ireland but told them he wanted to play for the Republic instead.
After featuring in two friendlies and not getting a look-in for a few years, he flipped back to Northern Ireland.
CB: Shane Duffy
In football terms, Derry is effectively in the Republic of Ireland and Duffy is a textbook case.
Turned out for Northern Ireland in a few youth grades up to U19. Made it known that he wished to switch allegiance. Got onto Liam Brady to see about switching.
And we are where are now. Featured in Euro 2016. A regular so far this campaign. He did make a desperate mistake in Moldova at the cost of a goal but it's probable he'll hold on to his place for Vienna.
CB: Alan Kernaghan
Not born in Northern Ireland but raised there, Kernaghan was unenthusiastic about switching allegiance to the Republic.
However, the IFA, in violent contrast to the FAI, clung to a strict policy of not selecting players who were not born in Northern Ireland or whose parents were not born in Northern Ireland.
I played for Northern Ireland schoolboys and had always hoped to take the next step and go on and play for the senior team but then the IFA found that I wasn't eligible. It was a shock.
I spoke to the IFA to try and find some way forward but it was just a 'no'.
A crestfallen Kernaghan was eligible for the Republic of Ireland and first played for Ireland in 1992. He featured against the North in Windsor Park in 1993, where he was branded a "fucking Lundy" by sections of the home support. He wound up at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
It was a strange situation to be in. I tried for so long to get playing for Northern Ireland but it never came off. Then all of a sudden I was playing for the Republic of Ireland.
So it worked out okay in the end in that I got to go to the 1994 World Cup and be involved with fantastic players in a successful team.
LB: Marc Wilson
Wilson was born in the small village of Aghnallan in the south of Antrim. According to Sky Sports, he won a McDevitt Cup medal with St. Paul's Secondary School in Lurgan in 2001. Alongside the Gaelic football, he played soccer for Lisburn Youth.
He was very quick to switch allegiance to the Republic of Ireland, moving at U15 grade. It wasn't a difficult decision.
"I think everybody has their own personal reasons for wanting to play for the Republic or the North. I grew up supporting the Republic so it was a comfortable decision for me."
RM: Paddy Sloan
And so we dip back into that period when players moved across the border as they chose. In the 30s and 40s it was no big deal for players from both sides of the border to play for both the IFA and the FAI side depending on who needed them. The historical pedants might well point out that the Republic of Ireland hadn't been declared yet but this is a trifling point.
Armagh's Paddy Sloan was one of Belfast Celtic quartet who was taken on the FAI XI's Iberian tour of 1946. He scored the winner in Ireland's 1-0 win over Spain in 1946.
Also played for Milan in Serie A in the 1948-49 season.
CM: Eunan O'Kane
Joe Brolly might term Eunan O'Kane a "true Derry Gael". His father managed the Derry minor hurlers to an Ulster title in 2001.
As with most of these guys, he played for Northern Ireland at underage grades before switching his allegiance at 21.
Played for Ireland through 2015 and 2016 but was left out of the final Euro 2016 squad.
CM: Darron Gibson
Nigel Worthington made efforts to get Gibson to reconsider his switch to the Republic.
"I want him involved with Northern Ireland and it is a situation which has to be resolved."
The IFA protested to FIFA over the Gibson case. FIFA ruled in favour of the Republic of Ireland's case. Gibson was deemed eligible for Ireland.
LM: James McClean
The most famous player to switch sides, McClean did not quit Northern Ireland without hard feelings. Still regularly engages in twitter spats with Northern Ireland supporters.
He is often forced to delete his account shortly after. He is breaking records for twitter deletions at this point.
McClean admits now he regrets playing for Northern Ireland at all at underage level. Shortly after his first Ireland cap, one Northern Ireland supporter asked him did he regret abandoning the country.
"am sorry for defecting on my country.. republic that is wen (sic) i played with the north at underage so yes am sorry for defecting MATE"
He later slagged Northern Ireland fans over their absence from Euro 2012.
When objecting to the hosting of a civic joint-reception in Belfast for the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland teams, the PUP Billy Hutchinson's referred to a "controversial player" with "Republican views" who might aggravate the Northern Ireland supporters.
F: Tommy Donnelly
Back to the 1930s. An Enniskillen born forward played in the League of Ireland for both Drumcondra and Shamrock Rovers and won two Irish caps in 1937-38, scoring in the latter.
F: Jimmy McAlinden
A star player for the famous Belfast Celtic team of the pre-Second World War era. Later in his career, he moved to south to play for Shamrock Rovers.
While at Rovers, he was taken the Iberian tour, the same trip that the aforementioned Paddy Sloan was brought on.
