Rep. Of Ireland…3
Latvia…2
Anyone of an agricultural persuasion is no doubt retorting to the above headline that Harry Ferguson’s ground breaking invention of the most famous piece of agricultural machinery ever made was in fact powered by the equally iconic Perkins engine.
On the football landscape at the moment, both in the Premier League and, now, at international level, things are very much beinh driven by a Ferguson engine.
You know, it’s not all that long ago since Meath didn’t have a soccer player capped at Senior International level. Darragh Lenihan – who recently made his 300th league appearance in English football – being the first. On his coat tails have come Jamie McGrath and Mark Travers, yet it would be ventured that the greatest chapter in the soccer history of the county has just began.
Lenihan has been playing a pivotal part as Middlesbrough have maintained a commendable charge towards the Premier League. Even that, mind you, has had to take a back seat to accommodate events regarding one of our own who has been taking the soccer world by storm.
It is not being fanciful to suggest that, until not that long ago, Tony Bloom would have been mostly recognised as the owner of champion two mile racehorse Energumene. However, such has been the incredible transformation at his football club, Brighton, that has become the big story in itself.
Now, Brighton’s ascent up the Premier League table was thought to have reached its peak following the departure of erstwhile manager Graham Potter to take reins at Chelsea. Not to mention losing chief playmaker Leandro Trossard to league leaders Arsenal.
Not a bit of it though. And the chief reason for their continued burgeoning has been the contribution of Ireland’s Evan Ferguson.
Thus, on foot of his continued brilliance, a first call up to Stephen Kenny’s Irish senior squad was a glaring inevitability. That said, such is what’s thought of the Laytown lad’s exceptional talent that there was distant drumming as to whether he was still too ‘green’ to be catapulted in at the highest level.
In no way were said concerns doubting his alacrity at performing to the required level, rather out of an instinct to protect the Brighton midfielder from the rigours of top level competition. Lessons learned the hard way having seen wells of talent ran dry too quickly before.
On the flipside of that caution, I would go along with the line often used by Micheal O’Hehir in commenting on a team (or horse) trying to come from behind, he would say they were “Near enough if good enough”.
To paraphrase the legendary Clare caller, my own view on such things would be that if a player is good enough, he/she is old enough. Ferguson didn’t take long to endorse the theory either.
He lit up the Lansdowne Road pitch buzzing around like a tractor with full beacons on during harvest season. Capping an industrious display getting on the end of a cross by the equally impressive Will Smallborne to nod home the host’s second score inside the first quarter of the game.
That coming after Callum O’Dowda had essayed the boys in green to the front after 13 minutes. However, as has been an unfortunate template during Stephen Kenny’s tenure, just when things appeared to be even a modicum comfortable, his charges were rocked back on their heels when the Latvians negotiated a way past Caoimhin Kelleher twice almost as quickly as the latter and his colleagues had found themselves in front.
Somebody asked me in the aftermath of the match what I thought of the Irish performance. In response, it was opined that it was akin to watching the Meath senior football team at present – loads of inventive, attractive football going forward but about as barren as the space between Eamon Ryan’s ears at the back!
The Irish custodian could or should have done better with the second goal in particular, but this corner for one would feel a degree of sympathy for the Corkman given the lack of opportunities he has been getting with Liverpool. That, in turn, has promulgated the debate as to whether he should leave Anfield or not.
It now appears most likely that he will be on the lookout for a new club. I for one would be conflicted if I were in Kelleher’s position. You’re at a club where you nearly guaranteed to be contending for trophies on a regular basis, granted, you never really get a decent run of game time but I suppose it comes down to one’s viewpoint – do you want to win things or go to a bad club, per se, just to be playing all the time?
Ironically, similar questions will inevitable crop up in relation to Ferguson but, like a good Massey, things are ticking along nicely for Bloom’s boys, hence the young Meathman will most likely be in no hurry to look for a new place of work just yet.
It’s more than likely the case that the jury is still out on Stephen Kenny’s stewardship. Probably understandably so too. Maybe it’s just the all consuming need with the occupant of this seat to accentuate whatever morsels of positivity can be gained from a given situation. Which in this case means the continuing development like Darragh and Smallborn and Ferguson and – most pertinently at this point in the story – Chiedoze Ogbene – who shot home Ireland’s winner on this most recent occasion.
Which undoubtedly left all and sundry imbued with a renewed dose of optimism. Mind you, it’s worth remembering that a clap on the back is only six inches from a kick in the hole. Hopefully we won’t be hiding behind the couch come Monday when the French roll into town.
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