Eamonn for a spot at Euros
Dyer: Scotland incentive will boost Brophy
Alex Dyer insists Scotland’s Euro 2020 success should be good for Kilmarnock.
The Killie boss saw Eamonn Brophy net against Dumbarton yesterday.
And birthday boy Dyer reckons the carrot of impressing national boss Steve Clarke will see the frozen-out Scotland striker get back to his best as he stakes a claim for a cap recall.
Brophy was capped last summer against Cyprus and former Dark Blues No.2 Dyer, 55 yesterday, said: “Brophy could have had a hat-trick and it was a good goal. We know he can finish. He just needs a lot more minutes under his belt and he can still do the business.
“We know what he is capablee of and I hope he can kick on and get back into Scotland’s otland’s squad. He is a good footballer and a good person and that will come if he works hard and he does the right things on and off the pitch. He has every incentive to get back to international level.
“I was punching the air when Scotland qualified for the Euros and it is good for this club.”
Brophy made the most of a mishit effort by Youssouf Mulumbu to fire a low, 12-yard shot past Kevin Dabrowski from an angle in the second minute.
It was to set the tone for a spell of unrelenting one-way traffic towards Dumbarton’s goal with Dabrowski’s block five minutes later denying Brophy an early double.
The writing was on the wall for Sons and their keeper saved them again as he kept out a Danny Whitehall shot in the 17th minute before Kirk Broadfoot headed against the bar. Jim Duffy’s League One side began to get more of a share of the ball but they fell further behind seconds before the break as Mitch Pinnock clipped the ball home.
Dumbarton did make a fist of it by launching attacks of their own after the restart.
Ruaridh Langan’s 63rd-minute lob was just too high before Jake Eastwood was forced to push a Ross Forbes freekick around his post moments later.
Dabrowski went full stretch to keep out Brophy’s close-range header 13 minutes from time as the game drew to an uninspiring close.
Duffy was happy his side caused Killie some problems.
He said: “The goal at half-time put the game beyond us. It was a real test for us against Premiership opposition and for the main we made it difficult for them.”