Euro 2000 Qualifying Group Eight: Republic of Ireland 5 Malta 0
Robbie Keane, already the target of a string of premiership clubs before the game, significantly increased the price on his head with his first international goals, both coming inside a magical three-minute spell in the first half.
“His first goal was a real poacher’s goal and the second just epitomised his cheeky arrogance on the ball,” said McCarthy afterwards.
“You can’t buy that, but if you can, it costs a lot of money.”
The manager will not have learned too much about the defensive capabilities of his back four, who were constantly on the attack.
He will have noticed though that Keane and Niall Quinn struck up an immediate chemistry.
Either could have scored a hat-trick and Keane’s ability to feed off Quinn, who got through a huge amount of work last night, looks like something which could prosper further.
Sensing the opportunity to add a goal or two to their international tally, the home players poured forward in the second half and it was Roy Keane, Niall Quinn and Gary Breen who all benefitted from the slack Malta defence.
The visitors provided Shay Given with the quietest of nights.
The first of only two targets on goal came 10 minutes from time with a lob from the halfway line - it was that easy.
Republic of Ireland: Given, Kenna, Staunton, Breen, Cunningham, Roy Keane, McAteer, Kinsella, Quinn, Robbie Keane, Duff
Subs: Cascarino for Quinn (74), Kennedy for Robbie Keane (82), Carsley for McAteer (85)
Malta: Cini, Sixsmith, Chetcuti, Spiteri, Debono, Buttigieg, Turner, Carabott, Suda, Brincat, Zahra
Subs: Agius for Suda (66), Zammit for Zahra (71), Camilleri for Sixsmith (77)
Referee: Roy Helge Olsen (Norway)
Warch all 16 goals Robbie Keane scored in his 19 appearances for Celtic during his outstanding four-month loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur from January 2010 to the end of the season.
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SOUTHPAW William Waite captured the first of the 1998 County Antrim Intermediate honours after a blistering bantamweight battle at the National Club in Belfast last night.
A quiet opening minute suddenly burst into life as Paul Lambe (Holy Trinity) caught Waite with a series of searching left hooks to sneak the opening round.
But it was a very different story in the next as a fired up Waite (Holy Family – Golden Gloves) went on the attack from the bell, pressuring the Trinity teenager and knocking him out of his stride.
The best punch against southpaw is reckoned to be a straight right cross and Lambe brought it into play with some success in a torrid third.
A bloody nose forced referee Tom McGaharan to lead Lambe to the ringside doctor midway through the round.
But the battle was allowed to resume with heavy punching crashing in from both fit fighters.
Neither boxer dominated the final two minutes but Waite’s jab and move tactics denied Lambe a big last round to sway the judges.
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SEAN Dolan's GAC in Creggan, Derry are highlighting their recent expansion into hurling by organising a Poc Fada this Saturday.
Club officials hope that participants will include Antrim’s former manager Jim Nelson and one-time playing greats Terence McNaughton (above) and Ger Rogan, as well as clubmen from Derry, Donegal and Antrim.
Fittingly for an attempt to broadcast the message of the ancient game, their ‘Stone Man’ destination is an old well to which people made pilgrimages in the past and is located near the RTE transmitter at Killea.
One of the club's long-term aims is to develop the youth side, calling on the expertise of Derry county youth coach Tony Scullion teaching skills in the local school, St Joseph’s.
