Troy Parrott says Ireland goal 'one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life' 

Striker's late winner gives Stephen Kenny's men victory at Aviva Stadium 

Troy Parrott fires Ireland's winning goal at Aviva Stadium. Picture: Inpho/Evan Treacy

Troy Parrott looked calm enough as he sat down to relive his big moment. It was maybe just over half an hour after the final whistle had sounded at the Aviva Stadium but the Republic of Ireland’s match-winner was honest enough to admit that he was still shaking.

It’s not every day you score a 97th-minute winner for your country in your own backyard.

“It was honestly one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life,” he said before agreeing that it was certainly the best to date in his career. “By far. By far. To score the winner that late in the Aviva in front of the home fans, maybe a mile or so away from me house, is honestly incredible.” He had a feeling that it was going in when the shot cleared the first of the Lithuanians standing between him and the net but, clinical and powerful as the shot was, he had already done so much work to give himself the chance of launching it.

“When Conor (Hourihane) was going to cross the ball I was too far away from getting into the box so I kind of tried to read where the second ball was going to land and it fell straight to me. It felt like the ball was never going to come down. I had to take two touches before I could get the shot off but, as I said, I’m over the moon.” 

That’s three goals in a dozen appearances for Parrott now, with eight of those caps earned off the bench. His first two goals before this, against Andorra last summer, also arrived at a time when Ireland were struggling to break down weaker but stubborn opposition.

Stephen Kenny referenced that very fact after the game.

Not a bad way to catch the gaffer's eye.

“It’s a good trait to have,” said Parrott. “As a sub or as a starter, all you want to do is have an impact on the game.” He had done that almost as soon as he was brought on with one shot sailing well wide and another producing a sensational fingertip save from the Lithuanian goalkeeper Dziugas Bartkus just when it seemed he had given Ireland a winner as the clock approached 90.

There was a hunger about Parrott when he came on. It was evident every time he touched the ball and in the manner in which he contorted his body and controlled the uncooperative ball at his feet before scoring the winner.

“It’s been a really good week and, as I said earlier in the week, most of the work is done in training. It’s so important and especially for me. All week I feel like I’ve trained to the best that I can and you reap the rewards for that.”