With Ipswich staring defeat to rock bottom Rotherham in the face on Saturday, up stepped David McGoldrick with a 95th minute equaliser.
It was a low, perfectly-placed half-volley from the Ireland international which arrowed into the bottom corner.
That game was McGoldrick's first start of the season. He's made just three appearances in all, scoring twice.
Mick McCarthy on David McGoldrick
Due to injury, the 28-year-old has not played much recently. Ipswich have missed him and manager Mick McCarthy knows it. Quoted by TWTD.co.uk, McCarthy said that McGoldrick is a player capable of taking a step up the football ladder.
He’s one of the best players in the Championship, I think he’s a Premier League player, personally, in terms of his ability, his touch, his awareness, his passing range, his finishing.
And it’s sad actually for all of us, but mainly for him, that he’s not been able to showcase those talents here.
And if he had I think we would have had people knocking on the door trying to take him. That’ll be the case if he remains fit.
Former Ireland international Stephen Elliot agrees with McCarthy's assessment.
@ballsdotie very gifted footballer. 100 % would be playing premier league had it not been for numerous injurys. Really nice guy too
— Stephen Elliott (@SleevesElliott) November 4, 2016
Earlier this week, Martin O'Neill named his Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifier against Austria. Worryingly, it featured more goalkeepers than strikers.
McGoldrick, along with Jonathan Walters, Adam Rooney and Kevin Doyle was one of the four forwards named. Given the lack of depth at the position, due to Shane Long and Daryl Murphy being out injured, McCarthy's words will offer some encouragement to Irish fans.
Most people would miss him. But there’s nothing you can do, it’s injuries, those are the challenges.
And actually, if you consider that over the course of the last two seasons, we would have been better with him, but we’ve actually done all right without him as well.
Maybe the difference would have been that we would have been in the top six and not seventh last year if Didzy had been fit that little bit extra.
Picture credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE
