Connor pushes cap bid
Gaffer left gutted as Ronan shatters shotshy Hibs
Jim Goodwin hopes Connor Ronan has booked himself an Irish call-up by starring in front of Stephen Kenny.
And the St Mirren gaffer hinted to Kenny there’s even more of his on-form players worth considering.
Goodwin insisted Joe Shaughnessy and Charles Dunne are performing like the Premiership’s best defensive double act in 2022.
The Republic of Ireland boss was at Easter Road to see Ronan smash home his fifth goal of the season.
That could put the Wolves loan man in the frame to feature against Belgium and Lithuania next month.
Goodwin said: “It was a mistake by the Hibs player but Connor still has a lot to do when picking up the ball.
“He doesn’t score many bad goals. And that ’ s another one – in front of the Irish manager so, please God, that will do enough to get him in the set-up.
“I’ve been banging the drum long enough. I met Stephen there downstairs.
“I’m always talking up Connor in the Press. I did urge him not to forget that Shaughnessy and Dunne are eligible as well.
“Those lads, since going to a back-four, have been outstanding. I don’t know i f you’ l l f ind a bet ter partnership in the country.”
Ronan plundered three points after keeper Jak Alnwick’s heroics.
He’s out of contract soon and Goodwin said: “There’s been a very good offer on the table for Jak. We’re trying to tie him down. He’s been a great signing for us.”
Shaun Maloney insists Hibs could have romped to a 5-1 win – if they’d shown a killer instinct.
The clinical touch was sorely missing again as Maloney’s men made it four league games out of five without hitting the net.
Meanwhile, Connor Ronan punished a mistake by ex-Saints star Jake Doyle-Hayes to pinch the points in front of an angry Easter Road audience.
Ronan’s super strike put an abrupt end to a promising start to the second half by Hibs, sparked by the introduction of on-loan Euan Henderson.
But v isiting keeper Jak Alnwick was inspired to make a hat-trick of stunning stops, including two from the on-loan Celtic midfielder.
Maloney said: “The biggest frustration is I feel we should have won. The amount of chances we created, and the way we limited Saints, the game should have been 3-1, 4-1, 5-1.
“But, in fairness to St Mirren, as soon as you don’t score then those last 10 minutes becomes very hectic.
“It was more chaotic than controlled for us. The game should have been different. I understand if you’re not clinical then you don’t win games.”
After starting out his reign with back- to- back wins in December, the managerial bounce has turned into a slump.
Two points out of a possible 15 is troubling form going into a midweek trip to Ibrox then travelling to Arbroath in the Scottish Cup.
Hibs remain in fifth but the pack is closing on the top six and those European places.
And St Mirren are one of those teams in the hunt as Jim Goodwin’s men drew to within one point of the top half.
Kevin Nisbet played wel l without scoring but his goal on Boxing Day was the last by a Hibs forward in the league.
Maloney said: “I know we haven’t lost ground but that’s
the second opportunity we’ve had to move into fourth place.
“We really need to start taking these opportunities.”
Maloney confirmed that fall guy Doyle-Hayes would keep his place to face Gers in midweek despite his costly blunder.
The manager said: “I will support Jake and he will play again on Wednesday, there’s no doubt about that.
“Players makes mistakes, that’s what happens. At the moment, those mistakes are costing us and other teams are being clinical about it.”
The goal was typical of the problems that have beset Hibs in a game that ended in jeers from the home crowd.
Hibs were poor in their defensive third against the St Mirren press and DoyleHayes allowed a throw- in to wander away from his control.
Wolves loan man Ronan was ready for the chance.
He pounced on possession and, before any defender closed him down, he lashed the ball into the roof of the net past Kevin Dabrowski.
Josh Doig was deemed f it enough only for the bench following a midweek knock as Demetri Mitchell and Josh Campbel l came in for the full-back and Joe Newell. New Zealand striker Alex Greive was drafted in by Goodwin for his first start in place of Eamonn Brophy.
Dabrowski had kept his place following a fine derby debut in midweek.
He was untroubled by early long-range shots from Richard Tait and Jordan Jones.
Yet he had too get down low wellll to his left to bat away from Jay Henderson, to t he ob v iouu s agitation a mo n g an a lready sceptical Hibs bs support.
Only Chris s Mueller offered a penalty-box threat in the first period for Hibs.
Joe Shaughnessy nicked the ball from a tumbling Mueller, closely watched by ref Greg Aitken, amid penalty appeals. A last-gasp challenge by Tait stopped Mueller from pulling the tr igger af ter a swi f t exchange of passes with Doidge and Nisbet sent the Saints defence spinning. spinnin
Henderson Hend replaced Doidge D at the b reak and i nstantly transformed tr the f lolow as Maloney rev reverted to a back four fou and an extra midfield mid man. He H dragged Hibs up theth pitch, playing in bbehind Nisbet on llyy for Chr i s
Cadden to blow the first chance created by the switch.
The second was laid on for the sub star himself. Nisbet cleverly controlled a ball over the top and teed up Henderson 12 yards out. Alnwick produced a superb, strong right-handed save.
As Goodwin tried to attend to a new problem, the drifting Henderson dropped into a pocket to power another drive at goal.
Alnwick forced over the bar then produced his best save of the lot to thwart Nisbet.
The momentum shi f t enjoyed by Hibs was then shut down by Ronan’s opportunism.
Joe Shaughnessy and Charles Dunne were superb as Saints closed ranks and defended their lead. And Greive came within inches of sliding home a second for the visitors on the break.