Mick McCarthy: Goal hero Andy Keogh was 'terrific' against Walsall

Jul 30 2008 By Brian Halford

MICK McCarthy hailed Andy Keogh’s all-round input as “terrific” after the striker opened his pre-season goal account with the winner at Walsall.

Keogh scored the game’s only goal in the 51st minute to sink a committed Saddlers unit which pushed Wolves hard at times.

It was not a goal-of-the-century contender from the 22-year-old. He simply tapped the ball home after the hard work had been done in an excellent move featuring a raking crossfield pass by Michael Kightly and adroit control and a perfect cross from Stephen Ward

But a goal was the only element that Keogh’s impressive pre-season form had lacked. And while fellow strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Sam Vokes and Chris Iwelumo have all already found the net in the warm-ups, Keogh is clearly high in McCarthy’s thoughts as the Championship opener at Plymouth nears.

“I was really pleased for Andy,” the managaer said. “His goal tally never reflects how much he brings to the team.

“If you score a goal you get your name in the paper and it must be demoralising for somebody like Andy who plays as well as he does every season.

“He scored 11 goals last season and will want to add to that but his all-round play is terrific.

“The way Andy is playing he is doing himself no harm.”

McCarthy was satisfied with his team’s work as a whole at the Banks’s Stadium, and the friendly against Blackburn at Molineux on Saturday will be an interesting test.

“It was a good workout,” said the manager. “We scored a terrific goal and when we moved the ball about quicker and got it to Michael Kightly we were very good.

“We got a bit sloppy playing offside a couple of times. But it’s something we can rectify fairly simply. We kept a clean sheet and that’s pleasing.”