ROY KEANE'S appointment as Ipswich boss could scupper any Brentford bid to keep loan star Billy Clarke.

Axed manager Jim Magilton had bombed out the 21-year-old, but Keane's arrival last week could hand him a Portman Road lifeline.

Clarke bagged six goals in seven games to help The Bees to the League Two title, including a double in Saturday's win at Darlington.

And while the Irishman would be keen to come to Griffin Park permanently if things in Suffolk don't work out, he hopes to catch the eye of his fellow Cork native instead.

He said: "I met Roy last Thursday. Hopefully he wants to have a look at me and I can impress him and stay at Ipswich, which is what I want. I've got my house there, my girlfriend's pregnant as well, so we'll see what happens.

"But if things don't work out at Ipswich then coming to Brentford would definitely be something to think about. Being here has been great."

Clarke is no stranger to Keane, and he admits playing under his boyhood idol would be a dream come true.

"I've been watching him since I was a kid," he said.

"Being from Cork as well, he's an idol of mine. When I was 12 or 13 I went round his house. His mum and dad live just down the road from me, but he wasn't there!

"I spoke to him in my local pub before. He's lovely, and exactly how I thought he'd be.

"He's just what Ipswich need. He's got a winning mentality. He got promoted with Sunderland, and his plan is to do it with Ipswich. There's some good players there so I don't see why not."