World Cup slips from grasp but Ireland have finally found the finisher they've been waiting for

Troy Parrott dejected after Ireland crash out on penalties to the Czechs. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

On a night of unbearable disappointment as World Cup dreams ultimately ended, the Boys in Green can still look back on this qualifying campaign as the moment they found the finisher they have waited so long for.

The history books will say that Troy Parrott’s efforts didn’t get Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side to the United States in the summer of 2026; but, boy, he made it an exciting ride – and turned his career, and Irish expectations, around in the process.

Parrott has been the poster boy of this campaign and on a tense night in Prague he delivered yet again with the opening goal in a 2-2 draw and then the opening penalty in a shoot-out that ultimately sent the Republic out.

When the dust settles and the emotions calm down (and, yes, that will happen at some stage) Parrott’s performance, courage and goals in this remarkable campaign will continue to provide hope for the future.

Has there ever been an Irish footballer with more pressure or expectation on his shoulders than young Parrott in Prague? And yet once again he delivered.

Even his granny Josie sent him into action with a prediction that he would score five goals this time, having hit three against Hungary and two against Portugal to secure the Boys in Green a World Cup play-off spot (and leave an entire nation in a state of rapture and disbelief).

But despite all the noise he turned up in the Fortuna Stadium against the Czech Republic, opening the scoring in fairytale fashion with a well-taken penalty after captain Nathan Collins was fouled.

That was his sixth goal in the last three games for the Republic (one more than he managed in his first 31 caps) and summed up the remarkable transformation in a young player who is still only 24 with so much development still to come.

They say that not all superheroes wear capes, but Troy might as well try one for size, because he’s done pretty much everything else you would want from a comic book superstar this year. Apart from, of course, getting his team to the finals.

Parrott scored in the shootout to get things up and running, but it wasn't to be.

The fact that his rise to fame didn’t come easily, or quickly, makes the story even more engaging. After all, ups, downs and windy roads are far more interesting tales to tell than straightforward linear routes to the top. So maybe there will be another chapter to come in the Euros. At just 24 he has plenty of time to make the dream come true, no matter how bitter defeat feels right now.

Since overcoming a slow start to his professional career in England - when spells at Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons and Preston fell flat, bursting early expectations from Tottenham fans that he was going to be the next big thing at White Hart Lane – Parrott’s hard work has finally been rewarded and he’s on the right path.

That back story, and his close family ties in Dublin, have only added to the narrative and it won't end now just because the World Cup chapter is over. Not judging by the character he showed in Prague.

‘Parrott Mania’ has quickly entered the vernacular since his hat-trick in Hungary and although he has taken it all in his stride, the pressure on him to be a star turn again was almost indescribably intense in a vital World Cup play-off tie far from home. Not least because all those in green have been desperately searching for a favourite to hang their hats on for a very long time.

Robbie Keane once held that mantle, of course, but he hasn’t been an easy act to follow. In fact, Parrott’s performance in Hungary meant he was the first to score a hat-trick for the men’s team since Keano in 2014. That’s an awful long time ago.

Pre-match, a long list of football celebrities and the Parrott family entourage lined up to praise the forward, from mum Jennifer to school friends at O’Connell Primary and Secondary Schools, and of course Republic legends.

The expectation and adoration were at levels rarely seen before; the kind that only the likes of David Beckham, Cristiano Roland or Lionel Messi get to experience. And yet somehow Parrott managed to block it all out – not least when steering home a perfect penalty 19 minutes. That achievement is all the more impressive when you consider he was criticised for missing a 99th-minute penalty for AZ Alkmaar recently – opting to go for a Panenka to the horror of his fans in the Netherlands.

By the time an own goal from Kovar made it 2-0 it seemed the dream was on; only for the Czechs to ultimately force extra time with a spirited comeback and then, of course, clinch victory on penalties.

But Parrott’s story has gained attention outside of Ireland as well as in - and he almost made another headline after 79 minutes when his close-range header was superbly saved with the score still 2-1.

He was also inches away from connecting with a ball into the box seconds later, despite having to feed off scraps up front as the home side surged forward, eventually finding a last-minute equaliser through their captain Krejci.

Even in extra time he never stopped running; sending Adam Idah away for an opportunity that could have won the game.

Then when it came to penalties, he was brave enough to take the first one – and score with apparent ease.

Of course, right now, all that won’t feel like success. After his Hungary heroics, Dublin airport temporarily changed its name on social media to Troy Parrott Airport. This time, sadly, there will be no repeat – and no planes taking off for the World Cup Finals, either.

But make no mistake, Parrott has the potential, and on the evidence that we saw in Prague the character, too, to be a Republic legend for the long term.

It won’t happen in the United States this summer - but roll on the Euros.