On 15 March 1890, Geary was called up by the England selectors to play against Ireland in the 1890 British Home Championship. England also played against Wales on the same day, and the selectors picked a mainly amateur team to play at Wrexham (winning 3–1), while the players selected for the match against the Irish at Ballynafeigh Park, Belfast were mainly professional, including five players from Blackburn Rovers.