‘IT IS NOT IMPORTANT HOW OLD HE IS’ – BRIGHTON BOSS SAYS IRISH TEEN MARK O’MAHONY DESERVED PREMIER LEAGUE DEBUT

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi has told Irish teenager Mark O’Mahony that he got his chance in the Premier League as he “deserved” his top flight debut.

Former Cork City player O’Mahony had been on the bench a number of times in the Premier League this season without getting on the field but he was called into the action as a sub for the injured Joao Pedro late on in Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Burnley, a huge boost for the 19-year-old.

“He has an incredible behaviour, an incredible attitude,” de Zerbi told the Brighton Argus.

“When I saw Joao Pedro with cramp, I didn’t want to take a risk with him and we have on the bench one goalscorer, one striker. It is not important how old he is. The striker was Mark and I gave him the chance to play. He deserved to play.”

O’Mahony made his debut for Cork City in the 2022 season, moving to Brighton at the end of that campaign after a successful trial with the Seagulls and earlier this month signed a new contract which ties him to Brighton until 2027.

Speaking to the Irish Independent at the club’s training base last year, O’Mahony said he had a plan to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Evan Ferguson by making the leap from their academy to the first team as he felt at home in Brighton.

"I had trials at Sheffield United. Europe was in the back of my head but my dream was always to get to England and when I got the opportunity I didn't have to think twice. I turned 18 that January, came here on trial, and this was the place I wanted to come once the trial went well,” he said.

“I came over on trial and straight away fell in love with the place, the building and everything, and with so many Irish already here, that helped in coming over, when you see the amount of academy graduates who got into the first team, you can see what type of club it is for a young player, it's one of the best clubs in Europe now.

“I looked at Evan, what he has done already, me being a striker he was someone for me to look up to. He was young when he got his chance and took it, and all you need is that chance.

“My thinking is that if I do get a chance I have to be ready, as Evan was. What Evan has done can only be a positive for me.

“Evan did well in the U21s,did well when he was in the first team but he worked hard for his chance, he got it through hard work and that's a lesson for me,” the Carrigaline native said.

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2024-04-15T09:40:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd