Ireland hope teenage kicks from Connolly can clinch Euro spot

WITH the Republic of Ireland needing to win just one of their two remaining matches to qualify for Euro 2020, step forward Aaron Connolly. Brighton’s teenage forward showed in an all-too-fleeting 12-minute debut that he has something his elders do not — pace and the ability to frighten the opposition. Mick McCarthy knows the time has arrived to shed conservatism and start this young man who hit a spectacular double against Tottenham last weekend. McCarthy was a player in 1992 when Ireland went through qualifying without losing but failed to make that summer’s European Championship. Another two draws in this campaign — against Switzerland in Geneva tomorrow night and Denmark in Dublin next month — would almost certainly see them miss out on an automatic passage to the finals, even though it would leave them unbeaten in Group D. He now looks ready to turn to 19-year-old Connolly after the new boy emerged from the bench in Tbilisi on Saturday afternoon and twice came close to nicking victory. ‘Absolutely he could start,’ said McCarthy ahead of the game at the Stade de Geneve. ‘You’ve seen him come on and do what he’s done. We might have to have a bit of help with him, though, he certainly won’t be a lone runner.’ McCarthy will consider pairing him in attack with a targetman such as Luton’s James Collins, who battled admirably on his first start but never looked like scoring. The manager is keen to take the positives from Saturday’s stalemate, even though his team lacked attacking inspiration until Connolly’s belated arrival. ‘I asked them in the dressing room after if they would have taken four points before we started, beat Georgia at home and draw away?’ he said. ‘They weren’t all saying: “Yeah”. And I said: “Well I would”. ‘Because that’s how you qualify, that’s how you win things. It might not end up like that, but winning at home and drawing away is not a bad recipe.’ But Ireland, with just six goals from as many games, need to score if they are to win. And that’s why the time is right to start with Connolly.