Latest news with #JustinDevenny
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I'm the Scottish star who downed Liverpool at Wembley but have been poached by Northern Ireland
Irvine youngster Justin Devenny slammed in the winner for Crystal Palace in the Charity Shield win against Liverpool Scotland may have missed out on Justin Devenny but the Crystal Palace star wasn't going to make the same mistake from the spot at Wembley. The former Kilmarnock academy kid slammed in the winning penalty for the Eagles as they shocked Liverpool to win the Charity Shield on the back of their incredible FA Cup triumph over Man City back in May. And it added another chapter to the sensational story of this youngster from Irvine. Devenny has completed a remarkable rise from the depths of Scottish football to the very pinnacle of the English game – and been poached by Northern Ireland in the process. The 21-year-old had a spell at Broomhill in the Lowland League when part of the Rugby Park ranks and then joined Airdrie in League One before being spotted by Palace's eagle-eyed Scottish scouts. The £150,000 shock move down south led to him impressing with the Under-23s before breaking into the first team – where he made 23 appearances last term on his way to picking up a historic FA Cup winner's medal. Devenny was at it again on Sunday, sticking up his hand to take the crucial fifth spot kick. And he didn't disappoint as he found the net to spark wild celebrations. Devenny had nerves of steel – and he revealed his grit was forged in the lower leagues in Scotland. The youngster's only other spot kick in his pro career came in Airdrie's 6-5 shootout win against Hamilton in 2023 to escape the third tier and claim a place in the Championship. Devenny said: 'I've taken one professional penalty, which was in the play-off final for Airdrie three years ago. 'It wasn't quite this, there were a few thousand there. But it's the same thing at the end of the day, taking a penalty. Did I score that one? Of course!' Devenny has always believed he could crack the big time – and had no doubts stepping up in front of 82,000 fans at Wembley. He said: 'I was confident and I believe in myself. I put my name down before. I didn't have to take a penalty, but I wanted to. 'I wanted to be the fifth one, I wanted to be the one that scored and win it. "He (manager Oliver Glasner) was asking who wanted to take a penalty and I said: 'I will take one' 'I was quite happy that it was in front of the Liverpool fans, you are going to get the abuse and the noise – but it is just about staying in the zone. 'Thankfully I scored, the emotions were great, I didn't know how to celebrate, it was almost too much to take in. It's a great feeling. 'I'm playing the sport I love for a living. These are the moments you want to be part of. 'Anyone would say yeah to have the chance to take the winning penalty in the Community Shield final. I was lucky enough to do it.' Devenny rammed home from the spot – and plunged another dagger in the hearts of the Tartan Army. The midfielder was whipped away by the Northern Irish from right under his horn nation's noses before he even got to Palace. Devenny came through the SFA performance school system but the summons came from over the water after an instant impact with Airdrie. Former St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright – who was part of the Northern Ireland youth set up – had been tracking the kid even longer after learning about his Belfast born granny. Scotland missed the boat and Palace stepped in soon after – with Devenny making his senior debut in the Nations League days in the same week he became the youngster scorer for the Eagles in the top flight with his strike against Aston Villa. The midfielder's career has started to soar and admitted he has no regrets at flying over the Irish Sea. Devenny said: 'Northern Ireland showed trust in me. It was an easy enough decision for me although I am Scottish – you can hear it in my voice – I have really enjoyed my time with Northern Ireland. They showed that trust.'
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Palace hero Devenny 'confident' he would convert
Crystal Palace's penalty hero Justin Devenny had no doubt he would convert the decisive spot-kick as the Eagles beat Liverpool to win the FA Community Shield at Wembley on 21-year-old Northern Ireland international was introduced late in the game with the sides locked at 2-2 and had an opportunity to snatch the win in normal time but his effort from the edge of the box went just the shootout, the teams were again level at 2-2 when the midfielder stepped up and found the top corner of goalkeeper Alisson's net to secure another piece of silverware for the London club, who won the FA Cup last season."It was a long walk up to the penalty spot, but I was confident and believed in myself," Devenny told BBC Sport after the game."The keeper was trying to take as long as he can for me to get set up, but I just waited, believed in myself, put the ball down and I knew where I was going - thankfully it went in."I had the chance in the game to win it, but I won it in the end, so I'm happy about that."Scotland-born Devenny came through the youth system at Kilmarnock before a move to Airdrieonians preceded his switch to Crystal Palace in season he featured 28 times for the Premier League outfit, putting his rapid rise down to work ethic and family support."If you put in that work, I believe anyone can get there," said Devenny who has been capped five times for Northern Ireland."My family have been there from the start. There's been a lot of sacrifices made by them, so for me to repay them is a special feeling."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Justin Devenny fires home winning penalty as Crystal Palace edge Liverpool in Community Shield
The former Kilmarnock youth player slammed home the decisive spot-kick Irvine-born footballer Justin Devenny converted the winning penalty as he helped Crystal Palace defeat Liverpool in the Community Shield at Wembley. The 21-year-old, who was released by Kilmarnock and plying his trade for Airdrie in the Scottish third tier just two years ago, calmly fired beyond Allison to get the party started for Palace. The contest had ended 2-2 after the Londoners twice came from behind with goals from Jean-Phillipe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr answering strikes by Liverpool debutants Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong. It marks the latest achievemnt for the local lad, who picked up an FA Cup winners' medal three months ago as the Eagles won the first major honour in the club's history by beating Man City in the final and has become an international regular for Northern Ireland.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Liverpool suffers shock Community Shield shootout defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley
Crystal Palace has beaten Premier League champion Liverpool 3-2 on penalties to win the Community Shield after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Wembley on Sunday, with keeper Dean Henderson reprising his penalty-saving heroics from their FA Cup final triumph. Substitute Justin Devenny scored the winning spot kick, after Mohamed Salah skied the Reds' first penalty and Henderson then saved efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott. "They were 2-1 up, you would think we were out of the game," Henderson said. "The manager said we would get chances in the second half … and we deserved that in the end." New recruit Hugo Ekitike had put Liverpool ahead inside four minutes after he and record signing Florian Wirtz combined beautifully before the Frenchman produced a superb finish. But Palace deservedly levelled in the 17th minute, Jean-Philippe Mateta sending Alisson the wrong way from the penalty spot after Virgil van Dijk brought down Ismaila Sarr. Close-season signing Jeremie Frimpong restored the Reds' lead, as Liverpool fans marked the death of Portugal forward Diogo Jota with 20 minutes on the clock in honour of his shirt number, sending an attempted cross looping in off the post. Palace boss Oliver Glasner has said his side needed additions to remain competitive and will have been concerned to see midfielder Daichi Kamada go off injured inside half an hour. The Eagles posed a threat on the counter and kept themselves in the game, although Ekitike spurned two decent chances to extend Liverpool's lead in the early stages of the second half. "We could have maybe scored the third one in the first 15 to 20 minutes after halftime but we didn't, we kept them alive," Liverpool boss Arne Slot said. Palace's England forward Eberechi Eze tested Alisson with a low shot before the Londoners equalised again with 13 minutes to play, Sarr slotting past the onrushing Alisson. Palace nearly grabbed a winner at the end, with Mac Allister perhaps fortunate to have a VAR referral for handball in the box go his way before Devenny nearly scored in added time, as the traditional season curtain-raiser went to penalties. Devenny got the winner in the shootout with an emphatic penalty to give Palace a third victory at Wembley in a row. Glasner said he was "very happy with the squad", though he added that this season's European campaign — with Palace expected to find out on Monday if it will be in the Europa League or Conference League — will increase demands. Reuters
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Analysis: Crystal Palace 2-2 Liverpool
Amid the frenetic scenes at Wembley, an unlikely hero emerged for Crystal Palace - 21-year-old Northern Ireland international midfielder Justin was only introduced in second half stoppage time after Palace captain Marc Guehi went down with cramp, but volunteered for the penalty after stars like Mohamed Salah, Eberechi Eze and Alexis Mac Allister fluffed their lines, Devenny was nerveless in striking Palace's fifth, and winning, penalty."I am delighted Devenny took the decisive penalty," Palace manager Oliver Glasner told his post-match media conference."We did not talk about it before as you never know who will be on pitch. He volunteered, and said he would take fifth one. He was not scared."Devenny made 23 Premier League appearances for Palace last season, and looks like he has the temperament needed to play a major role this campaign.
