AARON CONNOLLY YESTERDAY made his Serie B debut for Venezia as a late substitute in an opening-day defeat to Genoa.
Connolly has moved to Italy’s second-tier on a loan move from Brighton and Hove Albion, another attempt to kickstart his career after a loan move to Middlesbrough last season underwhelmed.
The Irish forward was one of 13 players at the club to test positive for Covid last week, meaning he missed out on a debut in the Coppa Italia against Ascoli.
His debut instead came against Genoa in the opening league game last night: Connolly played the final nine minutes as a substitute in what proved to be a 2-1 defeat. Both sides were relegated from Serie A last season.
Norway international Dennis Johnsen equalised midway through the second-half for Venezia, but they were beaten by Kelvin Yeboah’s 87th-minute goal. Connolly – wearing the number nine jersey – was introduced after that goal in place of Nicholas Pierini. He played off the right of a front three but couldn’t help his side find a late equaliser.
Elsewhere in Serie B, Irish U21 international Liam Kerrigan was an unused substitute for Como in their 1-1 draw at home with Cagliari, who are also dropping down from Serie A. Kerrigan made his debut for the club a week earlier in the Coppa Italia.
Saturday evening saw Festy Ebosele make his Serie A debut as a substitute for Udinese in their defeat away to AC Milan, with former St Pat’s defender James Abankwah an unused substitute.
Darragh has a hell of an act to follow after his old fella