Barnsley star Patrick Kelly revels in first international goal for Northern Ireland against World Cup hopefuls France
Northern Ireland put up a valiant display in losing 3-1 to one of the favourites to win the World Cup
Barnsley midfielder Patrick Kelly said his first Northern Ireland goal meant “everything” to him as he revealed his family had been watching at his father’s pub back home in Portstewart.
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Kelly, making only his second international start, struck in the 64th minute in Lille to cut Northern Ireland’s deficit to 2-1 before Michael Olise completed his hat-trick as France left for the World Cup on the back of a 3-1 friendly win.
While the night ended in defeat for Northern Ireland’s young side, it was another performance of huge promise and nobody left the Stade Pierre Mauroy feeling prouder than Kelly.
The 21-year-old has taken significant strides forward since leaving West Ham last summer to get regular first-team football at Oakwell, where he was named young player of the season for his debut campaign.
Monday night’s goal was the perfect way to end the season.
“(It means) everything,” he said. “I have been working towards something like that my whole life.
“It was a big thing for me getting in the squad not long ago and ticking off my first start in the last camp against Wales and then getting another start versus France and taking it step by step. Another thing I’ve been working towards is getting my first goal and I now have that.”
Kelly’s family did not make the trip out to France, but had the next best thing with a gathering at his dad’s pub back at home.
“My family will be really proud,” Kelly added. “Unfortunately none of them were here but my dad owns the bar in Portstewart called the Portstewart Arms. I think the match was on and all my family and friends were there and they all celebrated.”
His goal came at the end of a neat Northern Ireland counter-attack, with Isaac Price slipping the ball through for Shea Charles, who got away from Dayot Upamecano before squaring for Kelly to finish.
“It was one of the easier ones I’ll score but it was a long run to get there,” Kelly said.
“It was really good from Isaac and Shea, who are two very good players. When the ball went to Shea I made the run gambling that he would get by his man and he did. He does that all the time and he picked me out with a good ball.”
Kelly had gone close to scoring when it was still 0-0, with the former Coleraine man sending a low shot narrowly wide after peeling away from his marker to get on the end of Price’s cross.
“It was close and I thought it was going in,” he added.
“That’s one I was annoyed about at half-time because when I hit it I thought it was in. I was half away celebrating and it just went a whisker wide of the post.”