TROY PARROTT, THE leader of Ireland’s 4-1 comeback win over Andorra, says he is “over the moon” after scoring his first and second senior international goals in the Boys In Green’s first victory under Stephen Kenny.
Named RTÉ’s Man of the Match after the international friendly, the 19-year-old Dubliner beamed:
“I’m over the moon, to be fair. When the second one went in, I was so, so relieved, even the first one, to be fair. Obviously it’s the first win we’ve got in a couple of games, I couldn’t be happier really.”
Player of the match Troy Parrott says he is "over the moon" to score his first goals for Ireland and admits he was "so relieved" after the shock of Andorra taking the lead. #ANDIRL pic.twitter.com/ThRVRxbj49
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
In Kenny’s first win after 12 matches as Ireland manager, he must have feared the worst when Andorra went ahead through Marc Vales in the 52nd minute, following a grim first-half showing.
But Parrott, on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and most recently on loan at Ipswich Town, spared Ireland’s blushes in a game they were expected to win, finding the back of the net in the 58th and 61st minutes respectively.
On going behind, Parrott noted:
“Well, it just goes to show how something so small can change the way the game is going. For instance, the free-kick is poor on our behalf, but the most important thing is that we kept in the game and we ended up winning.”
He, of course, kickstarted that; his first goal a stunning individual effort, which Kenny noted was “a turning point” before his second, a header, and further first international goals from Jason Knight and Daryl Horgan.
EQUALISER!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
A good time for Troy Parrott to score his first international goal
1-1#androi #rtesoccerhttps://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/q8dsdVGOAu
“Once I got the ball and seen the space in front of me, I just wanted to go,” Parrott reflected on his first goal.
“I think it would be silly to turn down chance to go. When ball hit back of the net, I was so relieved and I guess it changed the way the game was going.”
And the second, a far-post header which came off the back of a cross from Conor Hourihane? “He put it on a plate for me to be fair. I seen it coming and I got there and the ball went in the back of the net again. All over, I’m delighted to be fair.”
PARROTT REPEATS!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
2-1
That's two in three minutes for the teenage Spurs striker #androi #rtesoccer https://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/3PddOXkUN3
Finally, what does a win like this mean for the group, who have endured a frustrating few months?
“It’s a really young squad mixed with experience, the older lads are helping us out a lot.
“This should give us massive confidence going into the next game and then into the qualifiers. Hopefully we can just take it in our stride and keep going and keep getting the wins.”
Kenny’s Boys In Green face Hungary in another friendly on Tuesday.
