McGrath is playing his way into Ireland mix
THESE may be challenging times for the Ireland national team but there is reason for Irish cheer in the recent sensational form of St Mirren in Scotland, with the Buddies continuing their recent run of results courtesy of a thrilling 3-2 victory at home to St Johnstone yesterday.
With six Irish players on their books and manager Jim Goodwin a former Ireland international defender from Waterford, there is a definite green tinge to the Buddies’ recent success.
As Ireland manager, Stephen Kenny looks for a spark to ignite his regime after a troubled start, and he could do worse than take a look at former St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk midfielder Jamie McGrath.
The Meathman is in compelling form, with five goals from his last four games – including a brace in the shock Betfred Cup win over Rangers last week – and he looked sharp again in a victory that boosts Goodwin’s bid to climb away from the relegation zone in the Scottish Premiership.
McGrath’s dribbling and passing was a constant worry for St Johnston nee yesterday and while he did not get on the scoresheet, the goals coming from Ethan Erhahon, Lee Erwin and Jon Obika, he was part of a collective display that had Goodwin humming afterwards. ‘That’s six goals in two games this week which is fantastic,’ fant said the St Mirren M boss, whose side s benefited from the t red card shown to Jason Kerr just before half-time. ‘I know my boys have h got character and a will keep going right ri until the end. They The weren’t satisfied with taking it to extra time the other night, they wanted to get the winner (scored by Cork’s Conor McCarthy).
‘And today it would have been easy to take a point but credit to the players – they just kept going and going. We put Jamie McGrath on the left and Kyle McAllister on the right and the two crosses for the second and the third were brilliant.’
Meanwhile, Celtic manager Neil Lennon hopes winning the Scottish Cup final against Hearts at Hampden this afternoon will be the catalyst to recover their 10-in-arow league title hopes.
Nine months on from last season ‘ending’, its final blow will be struck today, and it could result in the manager – officially given the job i n the dressing room i n the wake of their last Scottish Cup final victory over Hearts 18 months ago – joining Jock Stein, Martin O’Neill and Brendan Rodgers on the list of Treble-winning bosses.
But Celtic fans will be hoping it can also inspire the Bhoys to start closing the gap on Rangers as the summit of the league table.
‘It’s not as if, if we don’t win, the world stops.
‘You go again on Wednesday against Ross County. We keep that focus’ said Lennon.
‘This final is not a foregone conclusion. Hearts are in good form and have a team packed full of Premiership and international players. We aren’t taking anything for granted.’
Lennon believes a 40th Scottish Cup final win for the Parkhead club would give further encouragement to his side who arrested a slump in form – which included a 2-0 Betfred Cup defeat at home to Ross County – with successive victories over Lille in the Europa League and Kilmarnock in the Premiership.
The Northern Irishman said: ‘I think it would give us a real shot in the arm and continue that good feeling.
‘We are disappointed to go out of the League Cup this season but we have seen this season already how hard it is to win trophies.’
6
The number of Irish players on the books at St Mirren, who are managed by ex-Ireland defender Jim Goodwin