Martin O'Neill has admitted he cannot expect his current crop of Republic of Ireland frontmen to live up to the heroics of predecessor Robbie Keane.

That just last Sunday saw him crowned the League of Ireland Player of the Year for his pivotal contribution to Cork City’s 2017 title triumph is a timely reminder of how fast and how far Sean Maguire has come over the past 12 months, with not even the intervention of serious hamstring injury putting anything like a full stop to his gallop in the Championship with Preston.

Sean Maguire maintained his blistering form on Saturday, scoring his fourth goal in three games since returning from injury.

Manager Alex Neil paid tribute to two-goal substitute Sean Maguire after the Republic of Ireland international earned Preston a 3-1 Sky Bet Championship derby win at Bolton.

The striker will undergo surgery in the coming days after sustaining the injury this week.

Prepare to be burned, Denmark!

Ireland and Preston striker Seanie Maguire salutes Cork City’s title success and explains the debt he feels he owes to the club and manager John Caulfield

Ireland and former Cork City striker Sean Maguire faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of a hamstring injury which forced him out of Preston North End’s 2-2 draw with Fulham just minutes after scoring.

Former Cork City striker Sean Maguire is hungry for more caps after helping the Republic of Ireland reach the World Cup play-offs.

"There was stages where...when I just wanted to give up...just lost interest."

Sean Maguire and Alan Browne scored in North End's 3-0 defeat of Championship leaders Cardiff City.

It seems that Sean Maguire’s first call-up to the Ireland squad is highly unlikely to be followed by the former Cork City striker seeing action in next month’s games away to Georgia and home to Serbia.

O'Neill had previously resisted the clamour to include Maguire but says he's seen "a bit more of him now".

The Preston North End striker remains the top-scorer in the League of Ireland this season.

New surroundings, same narrative. Sean Maguire has got used to that winning feeling this year; his goals ensuring Cork City have turned this season’s Airtricity League Premier Division title race into a procession.

Keith Andrews has lavished praise on Sean Maguire, saying the in-form striker is exactly what Ireland are crying out for, as Martin O’Neill prepares to name his squad for next month’s games against Georgia and Serbia.

As he prepares for the Championship kick-off on Saturday with Preston, Sean Maguire says that Cork City turned him into the striker he is today

Maguire’s Cork City finale might not have gone as he’d have wished, but he did give a 12-year-old travelling supporter a great parting gift.

Sean Maguire equalled Pat Morley’s record of 20 Premier Division goals in a season for Cork as he signed off domestic action in style before his move to Preston.

Cork City boss John Caulfield has hailed Sean Maguire as the club’s greatest ever striker ahead of his last home game for the club tonight.

Since he arrived at Cork City, Kevin O’Connor has strived to live up to these goals.

Preston-bound Sean Maguire says he wants to follow in the footsteps of his new teammates Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan in being called up for the Irish squad.