Mick McCarthy believes Irish youngsters Andy Keogh and Stephen Ward can become a goal-scoring partnership to ignite the club's play-off bid.

Wolves are 10th in the Championship table, five points off Cardiff who occupy the last play-off spot. But the club struggles to score away goals and, indeed, only lowly Southend have scored less.

McCarthy is confident therefore that Keogh and Ward - signed recently from Scunthorpe and Bohemians respectively - can revive the his club's away-day fortunes.

"As a pairing they held up the ball well and set up chances," said McCarthy of the duo's first starts for the club in the recent home draw with Plymouth - a game in which Ward scored.

"It was their first game together so not everything is going to go to plan but I though they showed real potential.

"I brought each one in on their own merits but you are always looking for a partnership that works and I could see from day one in training that they had an understanding and could work well together."

Keogh is currently away on international duty with the Republic of Ireland ahead of tonight's European qualifier in San Marino.

It is his first call-up to Steve Staunton's squad and although not in the starting team, he could yet feature from the bench.  Ward is an Irish under-21 international.

Former UCD players Gary Dicker and Patrick Kavanagh have quickly made names for themselves at Birmingham City following recent reserve-team performances for their new club.

The pair were among many high-profile League of Ireland players to leave for British clubs during the January transfer window. Both have agreed short-term deals with Steve Bruce's Championship outfit.

Kavanagh has been at St Andrews for a number of weeks now but Dicker is a more recent arrival and only made his debut last night.

"He looked a very decent player out there," reserve boss Keith Bertschin said after introducing the Dubliner in the second half of Birmingham's 3-0 win over Stoke City.

"He's a good technical player, who can see and put in some lovely weighted passes and is decent with both feet."

Bertschin feels both will improve with time, opining that the pair are still somewhat off the pace required to succeed at Championship level.

Kavanagh is at the club three weeks longer than Dicker and has already made three appearances for the reserves.

"For a smaller player Paddy's very tough," Bertschin said.  "He's brave and he's just got to understand that when the ball comes to him he's got to play quicker without rushing.

"We though there was enough potential to take them both on and they certainly don't look out of place."