THE CANARY STORY

Norwich’s promotion challenge was always going to be of interest because of the exploits of a young Irishman with Nigerian blood in his family but while that statement proved true, the identity of the player was a surprise.

Adam Idah suffered a frustrating year peppered by injuries but Leixlip United graduate Andrew Omobamidele made a big breakthrough at the beginning of April and was selected in the centre of Daniel Farke’s defence as the Canaries booked an instant return to the Premier League. The stylish 18-year-old is playing in a good side but he looks very comfortable.

Idah’s season did at least finish on a happy note with a goal off the bench at Barnsley on Saturday.

KNIGHT’S LEARNING CURVE

If Jason Knight goes on to have the strong career that many people expect him to enjoy, he’ll doubtless point to the season just gone as an important point in the road.

He assumed new responsibility at Derby, inherited Wayne Rooney as manager and had a brief spell as captain. And then he was part of a team that lost six games in a row when they needed just one win to survive, setting up a tense last day where they needed a victory against Sheffield Wednesday to ensure safety but instead drew 3-3 in an error-strewn thriller that could have gone either way.

However, an 88th-minute goal from Mick McCarthy’s Cardiff denied Rotherham the three points that would have sent Derby down so Rooney (and coach Shay Given) avoided disaster and Knight will presumably stick with the Championship outfit now. 

LEGENDS LIVING IT UP IN LEAGUE TWO

There was double joy for a pair of recognisable Irish faces on Saturday. League Two is a new environment for Wes Hoolahan who has starred for Cambridge this term after relocating to the UK from Australia, and the playmaker – who turns 39 later this month – was on target in the victory over Grimsby that sealed their promotion to League One.

Meanwhile, lower-league legend Eoin Doyle is an expert at getting the job done at that level. He took Swindon up last term, finishing top of the goalscoring charts, before accepting a long-term deal at Bolton with a view to getting them out of the fourth tier. Bolton were 20th on February 6 but Doyle has been central to their stunning rise, with his Saturday goal in the clincher over Crawley bringing his haul to 19.

ROCHDALE FALL SHORT

With Brian Barry-Murphy in the dugout and a double-figure number of players from the island in his dressing-room, Rochdale’s exploits commanded interest.

They are a low-budget side in League One and the mission was always going to be about avoiding relegation. While they played an attractive brand of football, it wasn’t successful and an attempt at a great escape fell flat at the penultimate hurdle, although the damage was done before then.

Ex-Cork City and Sligo midfielder Jimmy Keohane was Barry-Murphy’s player of the season but there were tough moments for his two highest-profile options. Veteran Paul McShane was injured at key intervals while Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu was surprisingly dropped after returning from the international break. It’s only going to be a bump in the road for Bazunu.

LESSONS FOR PARROTT

The hope is that some way down the line Troy Parrott will sit down in interviews and reflect on the lessons he learned in the 2020/’21 season. That’s the best-case scenario for the teenager.

Yes, it’s desperately unfair to pile too much expectations onto his shoulders. But, in saying that, the attention was justified given his outstanding performances at youth level with Spurs and Ireland.

Senior football has proved to be a different animal. Millwall cut short his ineffective goalless loan after injury prevented him from hitting the ground running and a drop down to League One with Ipswich blew hot and cold too, but he did score in their concluding win over Fleetwood to bring his tally across the season from both divisions to two goals in 32. 

MOLUMBY FRUSTRATION

Preston’s conveyor belt of Irish good-news stories has slowed down. Alan Browne did have a decent year and signed a new long-term deal, while Greg Cunningham made a happy return to the club.

Sean Maguire has been starved of chances though, and the real disappointment this year was the loan exploits of Jayson Molumby who did so well at Millwall last term that hopes were expressed he might even figure for Brighton this time around. But a pair of Premier League sub appearances were all that materialised before a January relocation to Preston that failed to ignite in the same manner as his Millwall stint. Molumby spent most of his weeks on the bench with his final start coming on March 2.

PLAY-OFF AMBITIONS

The only suspense in League One yesterday revolved around the play-off picture and there was anguish for Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness as Portsmouth’s home loss against Accrington Stanley opened the door for Oxford to slip in the back door with Leixlip-born Olamide Shodipo on target in their win over Burton.

Mark Sykes, a recent recruit from Northern Ireland, will also expect to play a big role in the play-offs.

The season isn’t over for a number of other Irish players across the three divisions.

They include Aiden McGeady, who will be vital to Sunderland’s League One prospects, with a Lincoln side featuring promising young striker Anthony Scully next up for them.

Conor Hourihane will be central to Swansea’s tilt at the Championship equivalent, while Shane Long will be hoping to make an impact for Bournemouth.

Padraig Amond’s Newport will be of particular interest in League Two.