IT’S A POINT Martin O’Neill regularly harks back to — Ireland no longer possess a player who can put the ball in the back of the net with any regularity.
During the latter stages of Robbie Keane’s international career, the Ireland boss often lamented the fact that the country’s most prolific goalscorer of all-time wasn’t 10 years younger.
In fact, as recently as this month, O’Neill brought up the Tallaght man’s name after watching his side fail to score in the defeat to Serbia despite playing with an extra man for the final 22 minutes plus time added on.
“A 27-year-old Robbie Keane would have been in his element there,” the Derry man declared.
While we almost certainly won’t see a striker as prolific as Keane again — 14th on the list of top international scorers on 68 — the current management could really do with unearthing someone with a knack for goal-getting.
In the current qualification campaign, James McClean sits head and shoulders above the rest on three goals, while Shane Duffy, Seamus Coleman, Jeff Hendrick, Jon Walters, Shane Long and Daryl Murphy all have one.
Although they have come from very different situations, Sean Maguire and Scott Hogan have been mooted for some time as players to potentially pin our hopes on.
Maguire terrorised League of Ireland defences at Cork City before securing a move to Preston North End over the summer, and he appears to have settled into his new surroundings well.
Hogan, meanwhile, has only recently declared his allegiance to Ireland, but caught the eye with his exploits for Brentford, which earned him a January transfer to Aston Villa.
Both were today named in Ireland’s provisional squad for the final two World Cup qualifiers, and although that list has still to be whittled down before next month’s matches, it would be worth taking a chance on at least one, if not both, with Jon Walters missing through a knee injury.
“I think that’s a difficult one to consider,” O’Neill replied, when asked if the pair are experienced enough to make the step up to international level. ” It would be nice for them to have a little bit more experience.
“These are tough games for them to go into but we’ve lost a couple of players. Jon Walters is a massive loss to us but at least Daryl Murphy is staying fit for awhile, which is good news.
“David McGoldrick is coming back to a little bit of form, which is also good, but it would be nice to have these younger players coming in and trying to develop.
“We’ll see how it goes and if there’s a natural goalscorer in Hogan and Maguire then that would certainly be nice for the future of the Republic of Ireland.”
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Sounds like MON might not be playing them but at least if they’re in the squad they get a chance to impress.
Can’t remember the last Kilkenny man to play for Ireland?
@Adrian Costigan: Matt O’Mahoney back in the 1930′s, apparently.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_O%27Mahoney
Made in cork city’,finished product
@billy Dorney: Made at Deen Celtic, Castlecomber.
If the last Kilkenny man to play for Ireland was in 1930, can you stop trying to claim our Seanie :)
@Adrian Costigan: no
4 goals between them in 23 league appearances this season in England. I won’t hold my breath
@Eoghan Rock: I’m sure Seanie Maguire hasn’t played 23 games for Preston. Maybe five. Get your facts right
@Gene O’Keeffe: did I suggest he Maguire played that many games? I said between 23 games between them. Which means Maguire O’Brien and Hogan combined incase you can’t understand that simple sentence either. Get your eyes checked and then come back and get your facts right .
@Eoghan Rock: me and Floyd Mayweather have won 51 professional fights between us.
At last,go seanie boy go
Of the two, Hogan is more likely to make the stepup to the international scene. He is already proven at Championship level with Brentford – unlike Maguire. Were it not for some ferocious injuries, his progress would be much greater. He has great pace and an eye for goal, and is very reminiscent of Jamie Vardy, not least in the amount of lower division experience that he has. I really hope MON gives him an opportunity
Pedigree top of class
Sean Maguire moved to Preston at the end of June this year.
As a villa fan that see how Hogan every week I wouldn’t get to excited he is a bit part player been kept out of the team by a 19 year old.
What ever happened to Judge, is he back from injury.
Where Andy Boyle not starting at Preston