IRISH DEFENDER LUKE McNally was the match-winner for Bristol City as he struck the only goal in a 1-0 Championship success over Derby County at Ashton Gate.
Former Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic centre-back McNally volleyed home his third goal of the season — and his second inside a month — as Bristol City ended the festive period having picked up 10 points from a possible 12.
Meath native McNally struck in the 19th minute for Liam Manning’s side, who moved to within three points of the play-off spots with victory over strugglers Derby.
The 25-year-old previously scored in December’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland having previously opened his account for The Robins in their Severnside derby with Cardiff back in October, which finished the same scoreline.
McNally, who began playing football with his local side Enfield Celtic before joining Drogheda United’s youth ranks in 2015, moved to England with Oxford United in January 2021.
His move to League One came off the back of an ever-present season with St Patrick’s Athletic in which he was named the club’s Young Player of the Year.
McNally was later signed by Vincent Kompany’s Burnley for a fee in the region of £2 million.
After loan spells at both Coventry and Stoke, he joined Bristol City for an undisclosed fee last summer. He has been a virtual ever-present for Manning’s side since, making 24 first-team appearances and scoring three goals.
McNally was capped once by Ireland at U19 level and was twice called up to train with Jim Crawford’s U21s in 2020 but did not make the field.
Elsewhere in the Championship, teenaged Cork defender Gabriel Otegbayo scored his first goal in professional football to salvage a point for play-off-chasing Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-2 home draw against Milwall.
With Wednesday trailing 2-1 at Hillsborough to second-half goals by George Honeyman and Ryan Wintle, 19-year-old substitute Otegbayo volleyed home neatly from a Josh Windass flick-on in the 85th minute to draw the Owls level.
Otegbayo who, like Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, is a product of Ringmahon Rangers, signed his first professional deal with Wednesday last March following a successful trial.
He had previously spent over half a year without a club following his release by Burnley, whom he had joined from Cobh Ramblers as an U18s prospect in 2022.
Otegbayo, who made his Championship debut for Danny Rohl’s Wednesday in November, was also called up to Jim Crawford’s Ireland U21 squad for the first time that same month.
Senior international striker Will Keane, meanwhile, had a mixed day in front of goal but eventually earned Preston North End a point at home to Oxford United.
The 31-year-old former Manchester United striker missed a series of chances before nodding home a deserved equaliser for North End in the 70th minute of their 1-1 draw at Deepdale.
With implications at the top of the Championship, Abu Kamara ended a difficult week with two goals as struggling Hull claimed a breathless 3-3 draw at home to league leaders Leeds.
Kamara on Friday publicly apologised for posting “wrongly timed” emojis on former club Portsmouth’s Instagram account following Hull’s defeat to Middlesbrough on New Years’s Day.
But redemption was as satisfying as it was dramatic as he bookended the scoring with a lovely early lob before scoring a precise half-volley after 89 minutes.
Leeds remain at the summit of the Sky Bet Championship, and are now unbeaten in eight games.
But once Ao Tanaka let fly from the edge of the penalty box after 47 minutes the visitors seemingly held all the aces.
Dan James seized upon desperate defending to score at the back post on 62 minutes, after which Leeds went 3-1 up when Joel Piroe battered home a third.
Joao Pedro dragged Hull back into the game late on before Kamara’s late intervention.
His opening goal after five minutes also set the tone for what was an end-to-end Yorkshire derby.
Mason Burstow did well to find the former Norwich winger with a screwed cross from the left of the centre circle.
Kamara, though, did even better with a composed first touch and a delightful lob from outside the penalty area over Illan Meslier.
Leeds rallied, and might have equalised just three minutes later.
A rapid counterattack through the middle from Ethan Ampadu gifted Manor Solomon a clear sighter on goal.
Solomon, however, rather scuffed his chance which was well parried by Ivor Pandur.
And Solomon nearly paid the price for that miss as Hull should have doubled their advantage after 32 minutes.
Gustavo Puerto too easily defeated Jayden Bogle on the left flank before sending over a fierce ball across the face of goal.
Regan Slater timed his run well but jabbed the ball against the base of the right-hand post when it seemed easier to score.
Whatever Daniel Farke said to his players at the break clearly worked as Leeds soon restored parity.
Solomon charged into a promising area before teeing up Tanaka, who curled into the right-hand corner of the net.
Hull maintained the revs in the final third, yet there was still a sense of inevitability about Leeds’ second goal – such was the manner in which they went about their business for long periods of the second half.
Solomon’s cutback from the left found Bogle, whose deflected cross was not dealt with by a statuesque goalkeeper and two centre-backs that lacked responsibility.
James was, by contrast, far quicker into his stride and could not miss.
Hull had been overwhelmed following a ruthless half-hour spell, and few inside the MKM Stadium could have been too surprised when Piroe added a third after 72 minutes.
Pandur inexplicably misdirected a pass to the Dutch forward, who had space and time to fire into the bottom-right corner.
The game looked over, but Pedro gave Hull fans a degree of optimism when he bundled home after 81 minutes after Meslier fumbled Sean McLoughlin’s header.
Optimism turned to jubilation when Kamara half-volleyed home from a tricky angle after Gustavo Puerta’s corner was unconvincingly cleared by Sam Byram.
- With reporting by Gavan Casey
@ Pauly Kells. With the squad Leeds have Pauly, Leeds should be cruising this championship. But Leeds being Leeds it wont work out that way. M.O.T.
Leeds seem to be hitting a few bumps at the moment, but thankfully, still top the league. I can’t figure out Meslier’s game , but a good percentage of goals are down to his silly errors!!! MOT.
@ Ollie Fitzpatrick. I agree Ollie. Farke is wrong to keep faith with Messlier, he has cost to many points. He is an accident waiting to happen in most games. It might cost Leeds dearly come the end of the season. M.O.T.
@Michael Carroll: ye will be in the same position of ourselves next year micheal.
@Michael Carroll: Got it in one Michael. These are the ones that we should be mopping up the points. The chasing pack are too close and Meslier is the weakest link. His mishaps and fumblings won’t instil confidence in the defence. Four points lost in the last couple of minutes in the last two games are down to him.
We’ll still be MOT.