Scott Hogan has struggled badly since his £12m move to Championship underachievers Aston Villa and he failed to score again in the UEFA Nations League.
Shoots of positivity were few and far between for the under-fire Martin O’Neill on Tuesday night.
Matt Doherty showed flashes of his impressive Wolves form in the right-wing position for the Republic of Ireland, Cyrus Christie showed that he could be an option in midfield and Preston forward Callum Robinson caught the eye in attack.
But the overall mood is one of disappointment once again. A stunning Harry Wilson free-kick gave a Wales side without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey a 1-0 win in Dublin and, as a result, Ireland are facing relegation from their UEFA Nations League group, while the speculation about O’Neill’s future has been ramped up.
One player in particular has attracted plenty of criticism from the disillusioned home support, despite spending just 15 minutes on the pitch.
Aston Villa’s £12 million striker Scott Hogan was sent on to score the equaliser, but his cameo will be remembered for giving the ball directly to Joe Allen straight after coming on, before shanking a horrible finish into the stands.
Hogan is desperately in need for his former Brentford boss Dean Smith – the new Aston Villa manager – to help him rediscover that golden touch.
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