Crawford champions 'enormous potential' of burgeoning talent O'Mahony
EAGER TO LEARN: Irish striker Mark O'Mahony shoots and scores his team fourth goal during the English League Cup football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crawley Town.
Mark O’Mahony has been tipped to become an exceptional striker by his Ireland U21 boss.
The Corkman joined Championship newcomers Portsmouth on loan last week the day after scoring his first senior goal for Brighton and Hove Albion.
He’s among an array of attacking artillery Jim Crawford has available to select for Ireland’s Euro qualifier against Turkey at the Esenir Stadium in Istanbul (kick-Off 5.45pm Irish time, live RTÉ).
At 19, O’Mahony is younger than Sinclair Armstrong, Johnny Kenny and Aidomo Emakhu and Armstrong Oko-Flex but that doesn’t concern the Ireland boss when assessing his options.
They shaded a tempestuous home meeting at Turner’s Cross a year ago 3-2 but the Turks, with a strong home crowd behind them and senior internationals, are intent on featuring in the qualification mix as the business end beckons.
“Mark’s potential is enormous,” said Crawford from sunny Istanbul on Thursday.
“He’s strong, his link-up play, movement is brilliant, he can score goals and he listens.
“Don’t ask me what his ceiling is because I know with all those attributes it will be very high. He’ll tighten up on those too and I’ve no doubt he’ll be exceptional for us.”
Crawford is certain the former Cork City striker, the same age as Seagulls teammate Evan Ferguson, possesses the character to complement his ability.
He added: “As a young man with values, he’s excellent. We did our homework before he came in so I was well aware of what type of fella he is.
“I knew he was like that when he first came in, but he’s more comfortable in the environment.
“He wants to learn and improve. He’s at a club now where he’ll play games at a high level.
“I think Mark has serious potential. By the next window in October, the final group matches against Norway in Cork and Italy away, he’ll have improved from the matches with Portsmouth.”
One loss in six matches, a late 2-1 defeat away to Norway, has pushed Ireland into the frame to end their wait for a first-ever major tournament.
Group winners from the nine pools and the three best runners-up qualify directly for next year’s finals. The other second-placed teams face off in playoffs for the remaining spots at the 16-team showpiece.
“Turkey are an excellent team, much better than their seeding suggests,” warned Crawford. “Kenan Yildiz was at the Euros, Semih Kılıçsoy is another whose with the seniors and there’s Bartuğ Elmaz of Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
“But it’s about sticking to our plan. With players like Andy Moran and Mark O’Mahony, just to name two, we’ve got game-changers with a pass or goal. We’ll be a threat from set- pieces too. There’s exceptional creativity in the team and players on the bench capable of changing the game as well.”
J Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur), S Curtis (Peterborough United, on loan from Sheffield United), A Garcia-MacNulty (PEC Zwolle), J Abankwah (Udinese), A Murphy (Newcastle United); J Hodge (Huddersfield Town, on loan from Wolves), A Moran (Stoke City, on loan from Brighton); R Vata (Watford), J Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), M O’Mahony (Portsmouth, on loan from Brighton); S Armstrong (Bristol City).
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