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Irish Times
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Irish player tracker: Troy Parrott stars for AZ Alkmaar with brace in Eredivisie opener
While the Premier League doesn't kick off until next Friday, the weekend saw plenty of Irish involvement across the English Football League, Championship and further afield in mainland Europe. The Championship season began on Friday night with a strong Irish presence. Ipswich Town started with four Irishmen, including Dara O'Shea making his debut as club captain. Sammie Szmodics and Jack Taylor were also in the XI, while Chiedozie Ogbene returned after 287 days out with a ruptured Achilles. Ogbene was arguably Ipswich's brightest spark in the 1-1 draw at Birmingham City. Eiran Cashin, recently signed on loan, was an unused sub for the Blues. Saturday's lunchtime fixtures saw Charlton Athletic's return to the second tier and Conor Coventry played the full game in midfield in a match decided in the fourth minute of stoppage time with Harvey Knibbs scoring a dramatic late winner for the Robins against Watford. Irish defender James Abankwah played 87 minutes for the Hornets, but Rocco Vata missed out with a minor hamstring issue. The headline moment came at St Mary's. With Southampton trailing 1-0 against Wrexham in the 87th minute, Gavin Bazunu produced a world-class stop to deny Ryan Hardie. Three minutes later, Ryan Manning curled in a stunning free-kick before setting up the winner deep into stoppage time. James McClean came on late for Wrexham, while Will Smallbone missed out through injury and Eoghan O'Connell was an unused sub. READ MORE Hull City's bench included Ireland Under-19 prospect Cathal McCarthy alongside John Egan for the 0-0 draw with Coventry City. In League One, Luton Town's Josh Keeley and Millenic Alli helped secure a 2-0 win at Peterborough, with Keeley earning his second straight clean sheet. Cian Hayes and David Okagbue started for the hosts, with all four Irishmen completing 90 minutes. Saturday's 3pm kick-offs brought mixed news. Jimmy Dunne missed QPR's game against Preston with a hip problem, while Robbie Brady is a major doubt for Ireland's September fixtures after a calf injury. Finn Azaz also remains sidelined for Middlesbrough. Bosun Lawal in action for Stoke City under pressure from Derby's Ebou Adams. Photograph:On the pitch, Bosun Lawal impressed for Stoke City in a 3-1 win over Derby. Playing at centre half after a strong preseason return from a serious back injury, Lawal looked composed before his afternoon was cut short after a head knock, but he remains one to watch this season. The final Championship action on Saturday came with Bristol City's surprise 4-1 win at Sheffield United, where captain Jason Knight was influential and Sinclair Armstrong featured off the bench, while Tom Cannon played the last half-hour for the Blades. On Sunday, Gabriel Otegbayo started in Sheffield United's 2-1 defeat to Leicester City, with Kasey McAteer coming on for the Foxes. Elsewhere in the EFL, there was no shortage of Irish goals. Aaron Drinan struck for Swindon in their 3-2 win over Cambridge and Jaze Kabia grabbed a 92nd-minute equaliser for Grimsby in the 3-3 draw away to Harrogate to make it two goals in two games for the Corkman. Veteran David McGoldrick showed his class with a 93rd-minute winner for Barnsley in their 3-2 win at home to Burton Albion. Ireland Under-21 international Jamie Mullins netted his first EFL goal for Wycombe in a 2-1 defeat to Stockport, while Stephen McLaughlin scored for Mansfield Town in a 2-1 loss to Doncaster. Dylan Duffy curled home a 25-yard free-kick for Chesterfield in their 2-0 win over Cheltenham and Promise Omochere was also on target for Bristol Rovers in a 2-1 defeat to Fleetwood. Irish involvement abroad also kicked off with success in the Netherlands. Anselmo García MacNulty played the full 90 in PEC Zwolle's 1-0 win over FC Twente, while Troy Parrott stole the show for AZ Alkmaar, scoring twice in a 4-1 win over Groningen – his second goal oozing with class. In Scotland, it was a quieter weekend. Adam Idah and Liam Scales started for Celtic against Aberdeen, while Killian Phillips and Roland Idowu lined up for St Mirren in their 0-0 draw with Motherwell. Jamie McGrath provided an assist for Hibernian in their 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock. Player of the week: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar) Troy Parrott was the standout this week, scoring twice on Sunday in a superb Eredivisie opener for AZ Alkmaar. The striker had already netted a brace against Vaduz in Thursday's Conference League win, taking his tally to seven goals in all competitions since the start of European qualifiers. Goal of the week: Ryan Manning (Southampton) Ryan Manning, That is WORLD CLASS🚀🇮🇪 — Rep of Ireland Player Tracker (@reptracker) Ryan Manning was the clear winner after scoring a world-class free-kick to equalise for Southampton in the 90th minute against Wrexham, before providing a key pass for the winner. Manning's goal is already being called a goal of the season contender. Stat of the week: Jamie Mullins (Wycombe) first EFL goal Jamie Mullins's first goal as a Wycombe Wanderers player!🇮🇪 Mullins has taken to life in Wycombe excellently and will only get better. Serious player! — Rep of Ireland Player Tracker (@reptracker) Jamie Mullins scored his first EFL goal on Saturday, delivering a standout performance despite the defeat to Stockport. The midfielder joined the club permanently in the summer from Brighton and has shone in his first two games. A magnificent talent, he capped his display with a lovely goal and looks set to build on this bright start.
Irish Times
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kevin Kilbane: Weak in midfield and toothless up front, Ireland now left clinging to blind hope
I'm back in Ireland this week. Out west in Galway and Mayo . There is no better way to judge the mood of our nation towards the men's football team than over a few pints in Westport. The same question is continually asked: how do we beat Hungary in September's World Cup qualifier? Gone are the days when bigger football countries feared a manic night at Lansdowne Road. There is still no sign of an Irish midfielder who can take possession, pass it forward and put the opposition under pressure. READ MORE After an impressive season for Bristol City, Jason Knight was invited to nail down the position against Senegal and Luxembourg. A relentless athlete without the ball, he's no number six. John Patrick, Killian Phillips and Will Smallbone were also given chances to impress at training and in the games, but the rested Josh Cullen remains the only midfielder Ireland can truly rely on. We know Cullen is a good player without being a visionary passer. Nobody is coming to save this Ireland team. We have what we have heading into the 2026 World Cup campaign. Chiedozie Ogbene has been missed since his achilles tendon tear. It's not just his pace. Ogbene keeps the crowd and his teammates engaged by chasing lost causes and somehow winning the ball back. Kasey McAteer did well in Ogbene's role down the right during the draws against Senegal and Luxembourg. I actually thought the performance against Senegal last week was all right. However, every person I have encountered this week, for the inevitable football chats before the Luxembourg game, could not see any positives through all the negatives. Nil-nil in Luxembourg damaged Irish football's reputation. Ninety minutes from a flight to somewhere sunny and stress-free, the players were unable to produce a performance. This happens in June. Take Nathan Collins. After playing every minute for Brentford in the Premier League last season, the captain admitted to being physically and mentally spent. [ No shortage of effort, but Ireland fail to find the net against Luxembourg Opens in new window ] At least Heimir Hallgrímsson told Tony O'Donoghue on RTÉ that the performance was nowhere near the standard required. He even said the first-half 'boring'. Previous managers have done themselves no favours by clinging to vague positives when the truth is obvious to see. Call it what it was and move on. The players have already forgotten, I guarantee you that. So, how do we beat Hungary on September 6th? Honestly, I have no idea. The glass is half empty at the moment. Under Stephen Kenny, when it really mattered, Ireland produced one brilliant performance at home to France , only to lose 1-0 in that opening Euro 2024 qualifier. Collins's late header drew a phenomenal save from Mike Maignan. Séamus Coleman marked Kylian Mbappé into obscurity in a leader's performance that showed how much Kenny missed his injury-cursed right-back. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan saves from Nathan Collins in 2023, during one of Ireland's best performances in recent years. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Knight was an all-action, defensive cog that evening. That's what he does. The other time Ireland under Kenny were faced with a nowhere-to-hide situation, against Greece in Athens two years ago, the selection of Smallbone and Adam Idah backfired as the 2-1 loss made it clear that Kenny's days in the job were numbered. What really concerns me is Evan Ferguson's performance against Luxembourg. Let's not panic. He's still only 20. The West Ham loan did not work out. Brighton appear to have moved past him as well. But the version of Ferguson, at 18 and 19 years old, who briefly lit up the Premier League, has gone missing in the past 18 months. The physicality is not there. We know about the injuries. We don't know how much they have stunted his progress. We do know that he is no longer backing into top defenders and looking likely to score. Maybe Ferguson needs to look at Troy Parrott's career path. When life at Tottenham Hotspur did not pan out, Parrott moved to the Eredivisie in Holland, where he has accumulated 37 goals in two seasons. Troy Parrott's career has been rejuvenated by his move to the Eredivisie. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho It was suggested in January that a club like Bayer Leverkusen might get Ferguson's career back on track. Unless Adam Idah hits the ground running at Celtic in August, Parrott deserves to start against Hungary, ideally with Sammie Szmodics, Finn Azaz and Ogbene backing him up. We have what we have. Add Robbie Brady's left foot to the equation and the blind hope starts to rise again. We're going to need big performances right across the team and a rub of the green come September. Speaking of blind hope, Mayo to beat Donegal in the Hyde on Sunday.
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Chiedozie Ogbene to be fit and flying for start of Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has confirmed that Ipswich Town's Chiedozie Ogbene will be fit and raring to go when the national team's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway in September. The former Cork City man hasn't played since rupturing his Achilles tendon during his club's Premier League 4-3 defeat to Brentford in late October but the news is positive in time for Ireland's Group F openers at home to Hungary and away to Armenia. 'Yeah, he will be available,' said Hallgrimsson as he prepares his current squad for two June friendlies against Senegal and Luxembourg. 'According to him, he is going to be the fittest player in pre-season so definitely in September he will be ready for us.' Chiedozie Ogbene of Ipswich Town arrives prior to the Premier League match between Ipswich Town and Fulham. Pic:The news on Seamus Coleman is less clear. The Everton skipper had been named in the initial Ireland squad released three years ago but he has since dropped out having injured his ankle just 18 minutes into the club's last game at Goodison Park earlier this month. The Donegal man has been sidelined for three weeks. One of 17 players out of contract at the Premier League club this season, he has been reassured by manager David Moyes that he has a role to play next season. It appears that this will be something of a player-coach hybrid role and Hallgrimsson was also asked on Thursday whether the 36-year-old would be a part of Ireland's plans come the autumn and, if so, in what guise. 'He is a leader in this squad and you cannot have his experience in many players,' said the Irish boss. 'His experience, his leadership skills are one thing, but his quality as a player is another thing as well. 'He's been playing at the highest level for such a long time, so it's a shame for me and, of course the national team, not to have him around, but hopefully there will come another time for him. Hopefully, it will be just the off-season and he'll come fit and flying. 'I know he's going to be at Everton in whatever role, maybe a little bit more leadership role, but it's for him to answer if he's going to continue playing or not. It's his decision, but I'm hoping – and I know the Evertonians are hoping - he will continue playing.' The only other changes to the squad Hallgrimsson put out three weeks ago is the absence of Sammie Szmodics, whose ankle swelled up after Ipswich Town's last league game at the weekend, and the inclusion of Stoke City's Andy Moran. Hallgrimsson has deliberately omitted a whole clutch of Championship players due to the gap between the end of that league season in early May and the first of the summer friendlies, against Senegal next week. There is, he admitted, risk in this in that it could cost Ireland some of the momentum built up in the last window, with a flipside that it allows fresher faces to show what they can offer. Whatever the pros and cons there, he is more than happy to have been handed a four-team qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup given it has delayed Ireland's start and avoided competitive games in a June window which has historically been problematic. 'It would have been tough having a similar squad to Bulgaria when we played them [in March] to have a lot of players who finished a month ago, keeping them fit for an important game. We couldn't have done what we did, given them an extended holiday and off-season so they will be fit in September so they will be rested when it comes to the new season. 'These guys we left out now and that's because the June window has not been successful for Ireland in the past. It's been a tricky window, not playing for a month and then coming into the national team camp for a game that's maybe on a higher level than you play on a regular basis. You are never 100% physically fit or mentally focused after a holiday period. 'So, yes, I am happy we are not playing World Cup group stage at this time.'
