Gavin Cooney

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IT IS THE measure of a fascinating weekend that Matt Doherty’s return to the starting team after Antonio Conte’s caustic midweek comments was not the most surprising Irish appearance. No, that honour fell to Joe Hodge, who made his first senior appearance as a half-time substitute in Wolves’ 3-0 loss away to Chelsea.

You may remember Hodge as the regal presence in Ireland’s midfield during their run to the U19 European Championships semi-finals in 2019. His omission from the team of the tournament is one of the great Irish football scandals. Saturday was a great moment for Hodge, and though he is just 20, the debut had been a curiously long-time coming for him. He was in the Man City academy at the time of the U19 Euros but was desperate to get out on loan, which City initially delayed until they sanctioned a loan move to Derry City in 2021.

That move was sadly ruined by a back injury, and Hodge ultimately moved from City to Wolves on a permanent, three-year deal in September. He was on the bench for Wolves’ opening Premier League game of the season when Bruno Lage was the manager, but the fact the Academy manager Steve Davis took temporary charge of the Chelsea game smoothed his path to a first appearance off the bench on Saturday, playing beside Joao Moutinho in the midfield pairing undergirding Wolves’ 4-2-3-1.

Hodge is the kind of dynamic, metronomic midfield passer that Ireland have lacked for approximately forever. You know the kind of player John Giles has said Ireland have lacked for decades? Hodge might just become that guy.

When he was introduced, he certainly didn’t hide. Hodge is particularly is adept at ‘scanning’ – which is footballspeak for Having A Good Look Around – and it was evident in his very first involvement…