RECALL OF DUTY
Brophy hopes he can catch Clarke’s eye after missing out on Euros adventure
HaVING been in or around the scotland squad for the past two years, eamonn Brophy probably needed a break of some description.
It’s safe to say, though, that the fractured foot that put him of the running for the euros was not exactly what he had in mind.
eight months on from discovering that the injury he’d been playing with would necessitate three months’ recuperation, the st Mirren striker might just be timing his latest run to perfection.
with lyndon Dykes and Ryan christie suspended for the trip to Moldova, steve clarke will be compelled to widen the net to offer him sufficient options in the front line.
Brophy, who earned his only full cap to date under his former Kilmarnock boss against cyprus two years ago, is knocking hard on the door.
two goals against Motherwell on wednesday brought his tally to five for the season and garlanded an excellent personal performance in the second half. Very much a man on form, he has every chance of being given the opportunity he was cruelly denied in the summer.
‘I’d hope scoring will help my chances,’ said the 25-year-old of a possible recall. ‘I’ve been involved in the past and it was the highlight of my career by far. But I’ve just started playing well this season.
‘I had a nightmare season last season when I missed a lot of games, so I’m just concentrating on doing well here now.
‘that’s five goals in the league this season, so hopefully if I keep scoring I’ll be knocking on the door.
‘there are fixtures in the next few weeks and if I was involved in those it would be amazing, but I’m focused on st Mirren.’
while Brophy’s second goal at Fir Park came from a hotly contested penalty retake, it would be wrong to underplay his overall contribution.
the visitors’ failure to turn their first-half dominance into goals was punished with two concessions within five minutes early in the second half.
Brophy set the tone for a remarkable comeback with a fine finish from a tight angle, with a plethora of chances coming his way thereafter.
‘I could have had four or five,’ he reflected. ‘(liam) Kelly had a good save right at the end and I’d a header that came off the centre-back and went over the bar.
‘I just felt it was going to be one of those nights. I felt we dominated the first half and they created very little.
‘then we had a mad five minutes at the start of the second half and we found ourselves 2-0 down. we showed real character to get back in the game and probably should have won it. weirdly, considering we were 2-0 down, it felt like two points dropped.’
to a man, Motherwell would say the same for themselves given the nature of the equaliser. sondre solholm’s foul on Brophy which saw referee Bobby Madden point to the spot looked a case of obstruction, at best.
But Graham alexander’s fury at the award being given was nothing compared with his reaction to seeing a retake of Brophy’s missed kick ordered on the basis that Kelly had apparently moved off his line.
Brophy wasn’t about to argue with an unexpected chance for redemption and made no mistake at the second attempt.
‘I’d be lying if I said I knew,’ he replied when asked if he felt Kelly had moved forward. ‘My head was down and I was looking at the ball, then I saw him saving it. the next thing was the referee signalled a re-take.
‘I was just glad to get the second opportunity. when I missed the first time I thought: “Oh no, I’m going to get stick here” but I got a second chance and I was delighted to see it hit the the net.’