Elder statesmen impress as young Parrott makes his Ireland debut

Derrick Williams, Sean Maguire and Callum Robinson stole Troy Parrott’s thunder as the Republic of Ireland came from behind to secure a 3-1 friendly win over New Zealand.

On a night when 17-year-old Tottenham striker Parrott was handed a senior debut for his country by Mick Mccarthy – just as Robbie Keane had been back in 1998 – it was three more senior colleagues who opened their scoring accounts in the green shirt to clinch victory.

Blackburn defender Williams headed Ireland level after Callum Mccowatt, representing the Kiwis at senior level for the first time, had given the visitors the lead, and Preston striker Maguire and Sheffield United counterpart Robinson struck after the break as they eased across the finishing line.

Mccarthy’s main focus was understandably on Monday’s decisive Euro 2020 qualifier against Denmark – only Alan Browne survived from the side which lost 2-0 in Switzerland last month – but there were pluses for him other than the result against an All Whites outfit which was playing for the first time in 525 days. Shamrock Rovers midfielder Jack Byrne was particularly impressive in central midfield.