Troy Parrott lifted the first senior trophy of his professional career with AZ Alkmaar on Sunday after helping his side get their hands on the Dutch KNVB Beker Cup. After the disappointment of losing last year’s final, returning to the same stage 12 months later carried extra significance for both the club and the Irish striker, who was determined to help AZ go one step further this time around.
They did exactly that, defeating NEC Nijmegen 5-1 to finally get their hands on the silverware. Fittingly, Parrott ensured he left his mark on the final. Having already provided the assist for AZ’s third goal, the Irish striker stepped up deep into stoppage time to score in the 95th minute, sealing the victory and putting the final gloss on a memorable afternoon.
In truth, it almost felt inevitable that Parrott would find the net. With the form he has shown throughout the season, it wouldn’t quite have felt the same if AZ had lifted the trophy without their main man getting on the scoresheet. The Ireland international delivered once again when it mattered, capping off the win with the final goal and underlining why he has become one of the standout performers in the Netherlands this season.
Troy Parrott and Sven Mijnans of AZ Alkmaar pose for a photo after their victory in the Eurojackpot KNVB Beker final. Photograph: Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty
For Parrott, it represents a huge milestone in a career that continues to gather momentum. It may yet prove to be his first and last trophy at AZ with the 23-year-old expected to attract significant interest this summer. But regardless of what comes next, Sunday’s triumph will always stand as a particularly memorable chapter in the young striker’s journey.
It was a mixed weekend for the Irish contingent in the Premier League. Saturday’s action began with a hard-fought draw between Brentford and Fulham, a result that denied Brentford the chance to move into the league’s top six. Nathan Collins, captained Brentford while Caoimhín Kelleher was solid in goal. Keith Andrews side remain seventh after 33 games, an impressive achievement and a reflection of the consistency they have shown throughout the campaign.
There was disappointment, however, for Jake O’Brien and Everton in the Merseyside derby – the first at Everton’s new stadium – as Virgil van Dijk struck a dramatic 100th-minute winner to seal the victory for Liverpool. O’Brien had briefly thought he had registered an assist earlier in the match when Everton found the net after half an hour, only for the goal to be ruled out with the Irish defender adjudged to have been in an offside position in the build-up.
The LED screen displays a message from VAR which reads “Decision No Goal, Offside, 15 O’Brien” during the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Getty
In the English Championship, Sunday’s clash between Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough, a key match in the race for automatic promotion, ended 2-2 and featured a strong Irish influence. Dara O’Shea was impressive at the back for Ipswich, while Jack Taylor played the full 90 minutes in midfield. For Middlesbrough, Alex Gilbert started and played 61 minutes, but it was Alan Browne and Kasey McAteer who made the biggest impact. Browne assisted Middlesbrough’s opening goal before McAteer produced a superb finish to equalise in the first half. The draw leaves Ipswich second on 76 points, level with Millwall but with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.
Southampton came from 1-0 down to beat Swansea away from home, moving to within one point of Ipswich, having also defeated Blackburn 3-0 earlier in the week when Ryan Manning found the net.
Elsewhere, it was a proud moment for Gabriel Otegbayo, who scored his first senior goal for Sheffield Wednesday in their 1-1 draw with Charlton. Although relegation has already been confirmed, the young centre-half has been one of the club’s few positives this season.
It was a special day for the Otegbayo family as Gabriel’s brother Pijus made his Stoke City debut, while Jayson Molumby provided an assist in West Brom’s 2-0 win over Preston, moving them five points clear of the relegation zone.
Player of the Week – Johnny Kenny (Bolton Wanderers)
Kenny played a key role in two important results last week, the striker first finding the net in Bolton’s 5-1 victory over Stevenage in midweek before producing another crucial contribution on Saturday. With Bolton trailing 3-1 against Huddersfield, Kenny scored the goal that sparked their comeback as they battled back to draw 3-3, a result that keeps them third in League One.
The goal means Kenny has now scored four goals in his last four games, underlining his status as one of the form strikers in the division.
Goal of the Week – Kasey McAteer (Ipswich Town)
McAteer produced a magnificent finish, cutting inside and firing a precise effort with his weaker left foot into the bottom-right corner, giving the Middlesbrough goalkeeper no chance. It was a goal of real quality and confidence. The strike was McAteer’s second in his last three starts for Ipswich after previously failing to score following his move to the club last summer.