REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 international midfielder Liam Kinsella was the hero for Walsall last night as they advanced to the third round of the FA Cup at the expense of fellow League One outfit Sunderland.
Kinsella scored the only goal of the second-round replay at the Stadium of Light, producing a superb long-range strike to beat Jon McLaughlin in the 52nd minute.
The 22-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Walsall, had only scored one senior goal previously, which came over three years ago in a win over Burton Albion. Coincidentally, Jon McLaughlin was the opposing goalkeeper on the occasion also.
This one was worth the wait, as he helped his side to set up a clash with Bolton Wanderers in the third round on the first weekend in January.
(Skip to 1:20 in the video below to view the goal)
Kinsella is the son of former Ireland international midfielder Mark, who won 48 senior caps and played at the 2002 World Cup.
“I don’t think there’s any better feeling, to be fair,” Liam Kinsella told reporters after last night’s win. “Scoring a goal, especially at a stadium like this… I didn’t know what to do so I just ran to the fans.
“I just took a touch on the edge of the box and thought ‘I might as well give it a go’. Thankfully, it’s gone in the goal. Going back into centre midfield [from right-back], I’ve got to try to score more goals and thankfully it’s happened.”
Kinsella, who was born in Colchester, made his Ireland U21 debut against Azerbaijan last year. He won his sixth cap as they rounded off the 2019 European Championship qualifying campaign with a 2-0 loss to Germany in October.
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here: