It was only three weeks ago that Michael Reddy took a share of our prestigious and much-coveted Irish Player Of The Week award (with Tranmere goalkeeper Joe Murphy), when he made an impressive debut for Sunderland against Wimbledon in the League Cup.

Well, now the 19-year-old from Graiguenamanagh can have a whole award to himself after being alert enough to score with his first touch (above), when Kevin Phillips' penalty was saved, to equalise for Sunderland in the north-east derby against Middlesbrough on Saturday. Granted, Reddy has a long way to go, but the £30,000 fee Sunderland paid Kilkenny City during the summer is beginning to look a bit of a steal.