In 2017, we wrote about the Irish players who have scored in the most consecutive international games, and the most consecutive appearances, with Jimmy Dunne scoring in five consecutive appearances and Robbie Keane and Fionan Fagan sharing the record of scoring in four consecutive games.
Following Shane Long's second goal in consecutive games against Wolves at the weekend, the first Irish player to manage the feat since Long himself scored against Aston Villa and Manchester City in May 2016, we wondered who holds the record for most goals scored by an Irish player in consecutive Premier League games?
Eddie McGoldrick was the first Irish player to score in two consecutive games in the Premier League. The winger scored in Crystal Palace's second and third games in the newly formed top tier in August 1992 against Oldham and Tottenham Hotspur. Before the end of the season, Ian Power, Paul McGrath, Kevin Moran, Roy Keane, John Sheridan, and Denis Irwin would all match the achievement.
An Irish player would not score in three consecutive Premier League games until 1999, when, as with many Irish goalscoring records, it was achieved by Robbie Keane. Following his move from Wolves to Coventry in August 1999, he went on to score against Arsenal in December 1999, followed by strikes against Chelsea and Wimbledon in January 2000
This record would stand until March 2003 when Damien Duff scored in five consecutive games for Blackburn Rovers, against Birmingham, Arsenal, Newcastle, Fulham, and Charlton. During this run, Duff also scored for Ireland against Georgia.
Keane has matched this achievement on three separate occassions for Tottenham, in 2004 against Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Fulham, and Portsmouth. Three years later, Keane repeated the run by scoring against Bolton, Reading, Wigan, Arsenal and Middlesbrough. He was sent off against Bolton, and missed the following games against West Ham and Watford, before returning to score against Reading. This run also included a strike against Manchester City in a cup replay. The following October, Keane would again scored in five successive league games against Bolton, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Blackburn.
Only one other player has scored in more than three consecutive games - Kevin Doyle scored in four games in a row for Reading during the 2006/07 season against Tottenham, Charlton, Fulham, and Bolton. Doyle also scored for Ireland against San Marino in the final international at the old Lansdowne Road during this run.
Can Shane Long continue his run against Newcastle this weekend?
Further Reading
Scoring Streaks Part I: Consecutive Games
Scoring Streaks Part II: Consecutive Appearances
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