Galway teenager Connolly earns his first two senior international caps

FORGET Roy of the Rovers, we’ve got Aaron of the Albion as the dream year for Castlegar native Aaron Connolly continued in the past week when he won his first senior international caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Connolly (19) was called up to the senior squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers with Georgia last Saturday, and Switzerland on Tuesday, on the back of some brilliant displays for both Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League, and the Irish U-21 squad.

He was named on the bench for the Georgia game in Tbilisi, and was introduced as a 79th minute substitute for his senior international debut.

The former Maree/Oranmore and Mervue United player immediately injected some urgency and attacking threat into an Irish side that gave an insipid display – despite being on the pitch for just 11 minutes or so, he was arguably one of the better players in a green jersey on the night.

He twice went close to breaking the deadlock, being denied by Georgia ’keeper, George Loria, in the 90th minute; and then finding the side-netting with a shot from the left two minutes later as the Irish side were held to a scoreless draw.

He did enough in those 11 minutes to back the argument that he should have started the game – Ireland were made to look a second-rate side by a Georgian outfit that on Tuesday night needed an 84th minute goal to beat group minnows, Gibraltar, 3-2.

At least McCarthy saw sense on Tuesday night by handing Connolly a starting berth against Switzerland, though such was his impact against Georgia that to do anything else would have bordered on ludicrous by the Irish management.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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