St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin tipped Connor Ronan for a maiden Republic of Ireland call-up after the midfielder scored the only goal in a narrow 1-0 victory against Hibernian in front of national team boss Stephen Kenny.
The on-loan Wolves midfielder pinched the ball off Jake Doyle-Hayes before firing a fierce drive past Kevin Dabrowski to propel the Buddies to within a point of the cinch Premiership top six.
Kenny watched from the stand as he prepares for next month’s friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania and Goodwin admitted he is desperate for the 23-year-old to be involved.
Goodwin said: “Connor doesn’t score bad goals and that’s another one – in front of the Irish manager as well so please God, that will do enough to get him in the set-up.
“I’ve been banging the drum long enough. I met Stephen Kenny there downstairs, I’m always talking up Connor in the press.
“He knows him well enough from the under-21s. I did mention to him not to forget that Joe Shaughnessy and Charlies Dunne are eligible as well.
“Jamie McGrath got that recognition for us and I would be delighted if Connor got it playing for us because it would certainly make my job a lot easier when we’re recruiting players, young up and coming players.
“They are going to get an opportunity here to flourish.”
The Buddies had to ride their luck at the start of the second half before Ronan scored the only goal of the game.
Buddies goalkeeper Jak Alwnick twice denied Hibs substitute Ewan Henderson and then got down to Kevin Nisbet’s low drive as the home side searched for an equaliser.
Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney, whose team have not won in their last five Premiership fixtures, lamented their lack of cutting edge.
He said: “It’s a really disappointing result. For about 25 minutes in the second half we created more than enough opportunities to win the game and that’s the most frustrating thing.
“The result has to be different, but that’s the difference between taking your chances when you have them and being clinical.
“They had one chance from our throw-in that they take and it’s a really good finish.
“They had another action from a cross as well, but without that, the result should have been very different and that’s what is disappointing.”
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