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"The next Robbie Keane is not just going to fall out of the sky" | Áine O'Gorman


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Republic of Ireland international Áine O'Gorman is backing Stephen Kenny's team to find their feet in front of goal ahead of this evening's Nations League clash with Finland. 

Ireland have scored only 10 goals in their last 18 competitive matches and winger Daryl Horgan said this week that the team are hoping to improve that record by any means necessary in Helsinki later.

"It could be the case of us getting one and they’ll flow. It might be a bit of confidence, or luck, whatever you like to call it.

"Maybe, on Wednesday,  it will hit someone on the arse and go in, and it could just go from there."

O'Gorman, who has played over 100 times for her country, agrees that the team simply need to find a clinical edge to allow the goals to flow.

"Everything but scoring goals is going well," the Peamount star told this morning's OTB AM. "We're keeping clean sheets, passing the ball with purpose, creating chances.

"I think we haven't been getting the rub of the green and it's that final third which is obviously the most important part of the puzzle.

"The next Robbie Keane is not just going to fall out of the sky so we just have to keep tipping away at it and eventually the goals will start coming and the confidence we've seen in the passing, hopefully that starts to come in the box as well.

"It looks like Stephen Kenny has instilled the team with great confidence, playing out from the back, knocking the ball around, so I'm sure they have done a lot of work in training to get that confidence. Once they start knocking the ball in the net, it will kick on from there.

"Against Slovakia we were missing Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah can score goals, Troy Parrott can score goals. (David) McGoldrick had a good game, I think a lot of his good football was in a number 10 role than playing as a number 9 getting in behind defences.

"It's been a much more attractive game to watch, getting the ball down and playing football and they have created chances. I think it's progress, Stephen Kenny has only been in for a few games, the COVID-19 situation has also played havoc around having players available for selection and there's only been a short time to prepare for games as well.

"It's obviously been a difficult week for the players and the coaching staff but I think they've done a good job, hopefully they can put in a good performance against Finland today."


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