Watford's Dominic Foley, a boy among men, heralded his arrival in Mick McCarthy's touring squad to the US by scoring the Republic of Ireland XI's opening goal in a 4-2 win over Liverpool in yesterday's testimonial game for Steve Staunton and Tony Cascarino at Lansdowne Road.
A crowd of 36,000 was quick to voice its appreciation of a young man at the apron of a promising career. But it was a Professor Emeritus who eventually demanded their protracted admiration on a day heavy with nostalgia.
Six months after announcing his retirement from international football, Cascarino came back to the scene of some of his biggest triumphs to deliver some pertinent lessons in the art of scoring.
For all of 30 months he had vainly chased the 20th goal which would have established him on a par with Frank Stapleton as Ireland's most prolific marksman. Now he plundered two in the last nine minutes to give his team a win that often looked out of reach.
"I wonder is there any chance I'd get away with claiming them for the record," he inquired of waiting newsmen. "Seriously, it was a marvellous way to finish in an Ireland shirt. I'll miss the trips to Dublin and all the trappings of the big occasion."
Ironically, it was his clubmate, Sander Westerveld, who denied Staunton the chance of getting on the score sheet with two athletic saves in the opening half. "Obviously I didn't pay him enough; but I'll be having words," said the full back.
Staunton, intent on making a point or two to manager Gerard Houllier, spared nothing or nobody in the challenge; but if he expected early reassurance, it was not forthcoming.
Hedging questions on the Irishman's future at Anfield, Houllier said: "This is not the time or place to speak about it. The summer brings a lot of changes at clubs."
Meanwhile, Graham Kavanagh is out of the Republic's tour. The Stoke City midfielder is scheduled to have a hernia operation this week.
He could be joined on the list of non-starters by Kenny Cunningham and Rory Delap, who are struggling with injuries sustained in the closing weeks of the Premiership.
