Aaron Connolly has been told to bide his time at senior international level.
Ireland boss Mick McCarthy raved about the forward’s show stopping performance in the Under-21s win over Armenia in Tallaght.
And the Galway native has since cracked the Brighton first-team with four Premier League appearances.
But Connolly will remain with Stephen Kenny’s Under-21s squad for their upcoming key qualifiers against Italy in Tallaght and away to Iceland.
Explaining why he didn’t turn to Connolly for the away double-header in Georgia and Switzerland, McCarthy said: “Graham Potter sees him every day.
“The best I saw him play was against Armenia on the wide left. But I won’t play him there ahead of James McClean.
“I’m not so sure he would play ahead of Didsy (striker, David McGoldrick) and I’m not sure I’d put him ahead of Callum Robinson who is playing in the Premier League.
“Stephen Kenny has a squad trying to qualify and I’m not going to take him and not use him, unless something happens.
“It could be detrimental to players I’ve picked as there’s something in the continuity of squads, when they come in and how they interact because we’ve got good results.”
Brighton boss Potter was impressed by Connolly’s attitude when he asked for a shot at the first-team rather than a loan move.
“It was early pre-season and he indicated he at least wanted an opportunity to train with us and see where he was at,” said Potter.
“After that point, if it was looking like there was no chance of game time, then of course he’s a young player who needs some adult football at that point.
“He’s a young player who had played in the 23s for a couple of years. He’s a determined little so-and-so.”
Potter continued: “He wants to play and he wants to run in behind defenders and he wants to score goals and they are nice qualities to have.
“A lot of players want to come towards the ball and have the ball to feet. He wants to attack the space behind.”
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