Able deputies aplenty, but Moran's absence still a case of what might have been 

NEXT OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE: Andrew Moran of the Republic of Ireland before the international friendly match between the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand at Aviva Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

How the Republic of Ireland U21s could have done with a player like Andrew Moran.

Ok, well, that wasn’t really their issue against Norway on Friday when they were beaten 3-2 or against Italy on Tuesday when they led twice only to be pegged back twice.

But still, it is a case of what might have been had the talented Blackburn Rovers midfielder, who is on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, featured in those two potentially decisive U21 European Championship qualifiers.

With seconds remaining at Turner’s Cross on Tuesday night, Ireland were top of Group A, two points clear of Italy in second and three points clear of Norway in third.

But by the time the final whistle was blown against the Italians, Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto’s injury-time leveller, his second goal of the evening, changed the complexion of the standings and the mood on Leeside.

The Group will likely be decided by the finest of margins once it finally concludes. Maybe it will come down to the Moran factor.

But as the Dubliner continues to impress with Blackburn, his future may potentially lie with the Ireland seniors and the Ireland seniors only, regardless of whom ultimately replaces Stephen Kenny.

If that is to be the case, Ireland’s young guns need to prove they have enough about them to compete against the best. And they did.

“He's been excellent but as soon as Andy was gone, as ruthless as it sounds, he's gone from us. We need to concentrate, we got Adam Murphy in, and we need to get our heads down,” insisted Crawford recently.

In an interesting twist of fate that’s the same Adam Murphy who had initially been called up by the Republic of Ireland U19s for their crucial European Championship qualifiers against Albania, Slovenia and Belgium only to be promoted to U21 duty in place of Moran.

The 18-year-old St Patrick’s Athletic playmaker, who had already featured for the U21s in this campaign at least, would only play the final two minutes against Italy in total while the U19s he left behind crashed out of the qualifiers on Tuesday afternoon.

I doubt any former Germany internationals will be airing their grievances about that decision although, despite its similarities to the Moran situation, it is of course on a different scale.

How the sold-out crowd on Leeside would’ve loved to have seen Moran in full flight.

There hasn’t been a lot for the local fans to cheer about at the home of Cork football in recent weeks but in the 31st minute, they rose as one to celebrate.

The previous half an hour produced a spectacle in tune with what local fans had seen plenty of at the Cross in recent weeks, very low quality.

But for once in recent weeks the away side failed to punish the hosts. For once in recent weeks, it was the hosts that ended the stalemate with a moment of magic.

The spark the game desperately required came from Sinclair Armstrong who burst down the left, skipped past right back Mattia Zanotti and pulled the ball to the impressive Killian Phillips to the ball past the keeper at his near post although only after Sam Curtis has scuffed his initial effort.

The spark was extinguished when Gnonto levelled from the penalty spot, but the setback was only brief as Armstrong bundled home at the beginning of the second half to give Ireland a lead they rarely looked like relinquishing again.

Until they did. In the 96th minute. With a deflected header from Gnonto.

What might have been had Andrew Moran been available for selection but either way on this evidence, Crawford has a number of able replacements to fill the void.