KENNY’S UP & RUNNING WITH A WIN
Rep. Of Ireland XI
Rep. Of Ireland Amateurs XI
1 0 BIGGER nights than this are fast approaching for Stephen Kenny but he opened his Ireland account with a win on his old stomping ground.
It was fitting that Kenny would kickstart this journey in the familiar surrounds of Whitehall.
It was here with Home Farm that he had his one and only season as a player in the League of Ireland back in 1994.
Familiar faces peppered the terraces, with representatives from a variety of League of Ireland clubs and junior football ranks out for a Wednesday night gawk.
Curiosity about this new dawn in Irish football caused 350 hardy souls to brave the elements, with the heavens opening approaching the break.
In succeeding Mick Mccarthy in the senior job after Euro 2020, Kenny (inset) knows all eyes are on his every move for the next 18 months.
This game fell outside the international window so Kenny was restricted to naming a home-based squad, although striker Aaron Drinan got permission from Ipswich to play.
Kenny has already stated that it will be his priority to promote Irishborn players and young talent plying their trade here have fresh reason to believe that their efforts will not go unnoticed.
But Kenny warned that his background does not guarantee any of these players a ticket into his squad proper for the Euro qualifier against Luxembourg next month.
Still, some of those involved did their chances no harm at all – not least UCD’S Neil Farrugia.
The wide man was a useful outlet and created Brandon Kavanagh’s close-range winner on 32 minutes.
Jamie Lennon relished his big break at St Pat’s last season and thrived in their engine room.
Kenny handed him the armband and he set the tempo alongside Aaron Bolger, who joined Cardiff on loan from Shamrock Rovers this week.