While compiling the information on Trapattoni's reign, I noticed that there was a high number of players who had scored on their debut for the Italian. No less than five footballers all registered their first strike on their first appearance for the Boys in Green. This is as many players as managed the feat under the previous four
managers combined! Under Jack Charlton, David Kelly (10th November 1987
VS Israel), Bernie Slaven (28th March 1990 VS Wales), and Tommy Coyne
(25th March 1992 VS Switzerland) all scored on their first appearances, with David Kelly notching a hat trick. During Mick McCarthy's reign both Clinton Morrison(15th August 2001 VS Croatia) and Graham Barrett(21st
August 2002 VS Finland) scored on their debuts.
No players managed the feat under the next two managers Brian Kerr and
Steve Staunton.
After Keith Andrews impressed in a B international against Nottingham Forest in November 2008, he was promoted to the senior squad for the friendly against Poland on the 19th and scored Ireland's second goal in a 3-2 defeat to their future European Championships hosts at Croke Park.
In the penultimate game of the Carling Nations Cup, the Republic of Ireland faced Northern Ireland in front of a sparse crowd at Aviva stadium on the 24th May 2011. Stephen Ward and Simon Cox were both handed their first appearances by the Italian, and they scored the first and final goals, respectively, in a 5-0 victory against our neighbours from the North.
After an underwhelming last minute victory over Kazakhstan, the team returned to Craven Cottage for their third friendly at the ground, following games against Colombia in May 2008 and Nigeria May 2009. Winger Robbie Brady marked his first cap, and his first start, with his first goal with a fine strike from outside the area. Second half substitute Alex Pearce converted a header from an Aiden McGeady corner to complete the goalscoring for the Irish side in a 4-1 win.
A double strike from debutants is extremely rare, in fact previous to Trapttoni's reign, an Ireland game had not been marked with this since 1976 when Joe Waters and Frank Stapleton both scored against Turkey in Ankara on their first appearances for the country in a 3-3 draw.
