IT WAS a day to remember for Gabriel Otegbayo in the Championship.

The 19-year-old centre-back made his full debut in Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with Middlesbrough.

The Cobh Ramblers youth product initially made the move across the water to join Burnley.

He already has made two first-team appearances for the Owls from the bench and was rewarded this afternoon with his first start.

It proved a tough day for the youngster, who was replaced by Svante Ingelsson in his side’s 3-3 draw.

Another Irishman starred, however, as Finn Azaz registered two goals and an assist for Boro.

No player in the Championship has registered more assists than Azaz’s eight, while the Irish international has now found the net six times in the league for Michael Carrick’s men.

Wednesday roared back after going 3-0 down by half-time to earn an unlikely draw.

Boro — who finished the game with 10 men after Rav Van Den Berg was sent off — dominated the first half and were 3-0 up at the interval after an opener from Liverpool loanee Ben Doak and Azaz’s double.

But Wednesday battled back and wiped out Boro’s three-goal lead within 16 minutes of the restart.

Substitute Ingelsson gave Danny Rohl’s side hope before Josh Windass scored a second soon after.

Van Den Berg was then sent off after picking up his second yellow card, before Yan Valery completed the comeback, just after the hour mark.

Faltering Boro have now won just one of their last five and dropped down a spot to seventh, while Wednesday have lost just one in eight and remain ninth, three points further back.

Boro got off to the perfect start when they took the lead after just five minutes. Hayden Hackney set Tommy Conway away and although the striker’s route to goal was blocked, he touched the ball into the path of Azaz, who crossed for Doak to head home from close range.

Boro were dealt an injury blow moments later when Conway was forced off and replaced by Emmanuel Latte Lath.

But the change did not knock the hosts out of their stride and Wednesday were 2-0 down after just 15 minutes. Neto Borges picked out unmarked Azaz, who found the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Azaz scored his second and Boro’s third after half an hour. Hackney met a Doak cross and after his initial effort was blocked, Azaz was on hand to scoop home from close range.

Wednesday missed a glorious chance to get one back when Windass headed wide from close range after Valery’s flick-on from a corner. Former Boro winger Marvin Johnson then fired wide of the target.

Rohl turned to his bench at the break and his changes worked a treat. Ingelsson started the comeback when his shot from Shea Charles’ cross went in off Boro defender Anfernee Dijksteel.

Ingelsson then had a hand in the second — seven minutes later — as he won back possession inside the Boro box before Windass bundled home from close range.

The hosts’ nightmare start to the second half then got even worse just two minutes later when Van Den Berg picked up his second yellow card before boss Michael Carrick was then forced to change goalkeepers after Sol Brynn suffered an injury making a save.

Tom Glover was brought on and within a minute was picking the ball out of the net when he was beaten by Valery’s glancing header from a Barry Bannan corner as the spoils were shared.

Elsewhere, referee Geoff Eltringham’s controversial penalty award helped Watford come from behind to beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

Zak Swanson fired Pompey ahead early on but Edo Kayembe cancelled that out via a second-half spot-kick Portsmouth were adamant should not have been given.

Ireland U21 international Rocco Vata came off the bench and tapped home in stoppage time to complete the comeback.

New Oxford manager Gary Rowett enjoyed a winning start to his reign with a 3-2 victory over fellow Championship strugglers Cardiff.

Former Cardiff academy forward Mark Harris, centre-half Ciaran Brown and winger Przemyslaw Placheta scored Oxford’s goals at the Kassam Stadium as they raced into a three-goal lead on their way to registering a first victory in eight games.

Substitutes Cian Ashford and Callum Robinson grabbed two late consolation goals for the Bluebirds, whose winless run extended to nine matches.

In League One, Promise Omochere scored his fourth goal of the season but it was to no avail, as 19th-place Bristol Rovers were beaten 3-1 by Exeter City.

Dublin-born Millenic Alli was among the scorers for the hosts, who climb up to 12th place.

Meanwhile, in the same division, Wigan are now 14th in the table, after Ireland U21 international Baba Adeeko scored the only goal in their 1-0 victory over Rotherham.

Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy