REPUBLIC OF IRELAND manager Mick McCarthy has said that Norwich’s Adam Idah may have earned himself a call-up for the senior Ireland team after the 18-year-old hit a hat-trick in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Idah, who is part of Stephen Kenny’s Ireland U21 team, was promoted to the Norwich starting 11 by manager Daniel Farke for their FA Cup meeting with Preston North End following an injury to first-choice striker Teemu Pukki. 

And just days after making his Premier League debut in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, Idah repaid the faith shown in him by Farke with a stunning hat-trick on the occasion of his first start for the Norwich first team.

The Cork teenager registered his first goal of the 4-2 win after racing onto a through ball after just 90 seconds.

He scored his second goal later in the half with a well-taken finish from distance into an empty net following a poor clearance by Preston goalkeeper Conor Ripley.

Idah, who turns 19 next month, completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot having been fouled by Ripley in the second half, as the Canaries recorded a 4-2 win at Deepdale. 

McCarthy, who was an analyst on BT Sport for their coverage of Wolves’ 0-0 draw with Manchester United, was asked about Idah’s chances of winning a first senior Ireland cap by host Jake Humphrey, a lifelong Norwich supporter.

“He might have just got himself one, never mind you getting him one,” McCarthy said.

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“He’s scored a hat-trick today, and he’s playing in a real competitive game. Not a [under] 21s, not a 23s, it’s an FA Cup tie against a good Preston team.”

Ireland play Slovakia in a Euro 2020 semi-final play-off on 26 March. A win in Bratislava would then see Ireland travel to play either Bosnia and Herzegovina or Northern Ireland in the Path B play-off final the following Tuesday.

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