Ireland boss Mick McCarthy has said Adam Idah's hat-trick in the FA Cup against Preston North End may have earned the teenager a senior international call up.
The 18-year-old Cork striker made his FA Cup debut for Norwich on Saturday just three days after making his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace.
It was an FA Cup debut to remember as the Ireland U21 international scored a hat-trick at Deepdale. It was a dream start as Idah got off the mark on just two minutes, with his second goal a 35-yard strike following a goalkeeping blunder from Preston's Connor Ripley.
The Cork teenager also played a key role in Onel Hernandez's strike in between his own two goals, before nabbing a hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
Speaking on BT Sport after Norwich's 2-4 victory at Deepdale, McCarthy gave his view on Idah's performance after presenter Jake Humphries joked he was lobbying the Ireland manager for Idah to get a full international cap.
McCarthy commented that there was no need for the lobbying after today's showing: “He might have just got himself one, nevermind you getting him one."
"Well, he scored a hat trick today and he is playing in a real competitive game, not a 21s not a 23s, it’s an FA Cup game against a good Preston team.”
Idah has been a mainstay of Stephen Kenny's Ireland U21s in the past year, showcasing his talent while leading the line against Italy and scoring against Sweden.
Speaking after his Premier League debut on Wednesday Idah described the experience as a "dream".
“I’m delighted because I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was a young boy,” said the striker. “I’m very honoured and happy to make my debut.
“I found out on Tuesday after training that I’d be involved and I was delighted, so I went home and rang my family straight away. They watched the game so I’m buzzing. I was delighted to get on the pitch.
"To make a small impact when I came on was great for me. Now, it’s time to keep my head down and try to get a few more minutes. I want to work hard and if I get the chance, I’ll take it. If not, I’ll keep working hard.”
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