With the Ireland squad set to be announced on Tuesday for the opening World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia, there are plenty of reasons for encouragement heading into the games.
Across Europe, several Irish players delivered standout performances, giving fans a timely boost and a sense of genuine hope about what lies ahead.
The action began on Thursday night when Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne recorded big wins in Europe. But Irish eyes were also on the Continent, where Troy Parrott stole the spotlight once again. The striker scored his 10th goal of the season for AZ Alkmaar against Levski Sofia, becoming the first AZ player since 2009 to score in seven straight games.
Festy Ebosele also enjoyed a breakthrough moment, scoring his first goal for Istanbul Başakşehir just five minutes after coming off the bench against Craiova. Both Parrott and Ebosele had the weekend off as their league fixtures were postponed to accommodate the European schedule.
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If the opening weekend of the Premier League was frustrating for Irish players, this one brought a welcome turnaround. Josh Cullen starred for Burnley, producing a captain’s display in their 2-0 win – the club’s first victory since promotion. Cullen opened the scoring with a fine strike before providing the pass for the second goal, underlining his importance to Scott Parker’s side.
It was also a landmark moment for Keith Andrews, who picked up his first win as a Premier League manager as Brentford edged Aston Villa 1-0. Caoimhín Kelleher marked the occasion with a clean sheet on his home league debut, while Nathan Collins earned his first three points as Brentford captain.
Elsewhere, Jake O’Brien impressed at the heart of Everton’s defence as they picked up their first win at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Matt Doherty also featured, playing 90 minutes of Wolves’ 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth as he builds fitness before the international break.
The Championship also provided plenty of positive stories for Irish players. Mikey Johnston got off the mark for the season in style, scoring a stunning goal on his first league start for West Brom as he continues his impressive form. Finn Azaz also kept his strong start going, netting in Middlesbrough’s 2-1 win over Norwich.
There was a proud day for 18-year-old Cathal McCarthy, who made his Championship debut for Hull City, playing the full 90 minutes alongside John Egan in their defeat to Blackburn.
Over at Preston, Kasey McAteer made his Ipswich debut, with fellow Irishmen Jack Taylor, Sammie Szmodics and Dara O’Shea in the Tractor Boys’ starting XI. Conor Coventry turned in a man-of-the-match display for Charlton in their 1-0 defeat to Leicester.
Further down the leagues, Ollie O’Neill picked up another assist for Leyton Orient. Jaze Kabia scored his third goal of the season for Grimsby in a 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley, and Cian Hayes netted a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser for Peterborough against Bradford. Aaron Drinan was also on target for Swindon Town, with Gavin Kilkenny impressing in midfield and assisting the stoppage-time winner in their 2-1 victory at home to Shrewsbury.
In Scotland, Johnny Kenny came off the bench to score a tidy finish in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Livingston, while Liam Scales enjoyed a proud moment as he captained the club for the first time.
But the biggest talking point of the weekend came in Italy, where Evan Ferguson looked back to his best in Roma’s 1-0 win over Bologna. The 20-year-old played 70 minutes, showing flashes of real class and coming close to registering an assist. It was the clearest sign yet that Ferguson is rediscovering the form that first lit up the Premier League with Brighton.
Elsewhere on the Continent, Joe Hodge featured for Tondela in Portugal, while Andrew Omobamidele made his European debut for Strasbourg on Thursday before playing 41 minutes against Nantes on Sunday before coming off injured.
Player of the Week: Josh Cullen (Burnley)
Burnley’s captain was the heartbeat of their first Premier League win of the season, delivering a complete midfield performance in the 2-0 victory. Cullen opened the scoring with a composed finish before splitting the Villa defence with a sublime pass for the second. Add in his work-rate and leadership, and it was a true man-of-the-match display – exactly the type of performance Ireland fans will want to see heading into the international break.
Mikey Johnston’s goal was the winger at his very best. Picking up the ball 25 yards from goal, he shifted it on to his right foot before caressing a magnificent strike into the top left-hand corner. It was a stunning way to open his account for the season and one that will mean so much after the disappointment of his collapsed move to Flamengo in the summer window.
Troy Parrott continues to set the pace in the Netherlands, scoring his 10th goal of the season for AZ Alkmaar against Levski Sofia in the Conference League. In doing so, he became the first AZ player since 2009 to score in seven consecutive games.
