Jamie Lennon has ‘mightily impressed’ the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21s management team this season.
And the midfielder, who turned 21 this month, is also turning heads across the water with Championship and League One clubs now taking note.
St Pat’s could have a fight on their hands to retain him after the Toulon Tournament – his involvement in which makes him unavailable against Cork City tonight.
Lennon hopes to feature in the group games against China – on Monday – and then Mexico and Bahrain.
In Stephen Kenny’s first official game in charge, Lennon came off the bench in the opening Euro qualifying win over Luxembourg in March.
Before that, he donned the armband when Kenny’s charges faced the Irish amateurs in a training game.
“Jamie is a case in point of the different routes you take to get to where you want to go,” said Keith Andrews, the former Irish international and one of Kenny’s assistants.
“He has mightily impressed me in the last few months, just his maturity and the way he plays the game.
“With young players, the consistency is rarely there week to week.
“If you’re the finished article, with all due respect to Pat’s he probably wouldn’t still be there but the way he approaches the game is impressive and he’s a different type to what we have.
“He holds his position very, very well and is constantly evolving his game. He’s a joy to work with.”
Lennon came through the underage ranks at St Pat’s and Shelbourne before that and never had England on his radar.
Speaking to Mirror Sport last season, he said: “I never really wanted to go away at a young age.
“I wanted to get my education, stay here and hopefully make the first team in League of Ireland and finish my Geography and History degree and think about it after.”
Those exams are now over and with English clubs sniffing, Lennon could yet be a flight risk.
But Andrews believes competitive League of Ireland football can sometimes be of more benefit to young players.
“You’re playing in a very tough league here. It’s improved, it really has,” he said.
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