Cardiff City midfielder Jack Moylan has earned praise from former Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann and been compared to former Premier League star Wes Hoolahan after another impressive outing with the Republic of Ireland.
The 25-year-old started as Ireland were held to a 2-2 draw by Austria at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday night, with Troy Parrott scoring twice before the visitors fought back to claim a point.
Moylan was withdrawn in the closing stages, but his latest appearance was another opportunity to showcase the qualities which have made him such a popular figure in Ireland since his arrival on the international scene.
Regular starter for Ireland
The Cardiff midfielder has now established himself as a regular starter for Heimir Hallgrimsson's side and earned widespread praise for his performances during the current Nations League campaign.
Former Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder Hamann was particularly impressed by Moylan's influence and drew a comparison with one of Ireland's most creative midfielders of recent years.
"He has had a unique career path and he looks like a super player," Hamann said. "He is performing really well and making other players look better around him. We really haven't seen that since Wes Hoolahan."
Rapid rise from League of Ireland
Hoolahan, who enjoyed a lengthy Premier League career with Norwich City, won 43 Ireland caps and was renowned for his creativity, close control and ability to find pockets of space between the lines. Moylan has similarly become a player Ireland supporters look to for invention in the final third.
His rise has been particularly rapid given his unconventional route into international football. The Cork native was playing in the League of Ireland with Shelbourne before moving to Lincoln City, where he played a key role in their promotion to the Championship last season.
He subsequently joined Cardiff in the summer and has made an immediate impact in south Wales, while his Ireland career has also taken off at remarkable speed. Moylan scored a hat-trick on his international debut against Grenada in May and has continued to catch the eye since, netting a goal and producing an assist against Israel last week.
Media praise for Moylan display
Irish media were again impressed by his display against Austria. Balls.ie awarded him seven out of 10 and highlighted his understanding with Real Betis striker Troy Parrott, writing that Moylan had "another strong display in an Ireland jersey".
The Irish Sun also gave him seven, describing the Cardiff man as "a joy to watch" and praising his ability to use "little fakes and shimmies" to create space. "He has to be making a claim to start all the time," they added.
RTÉ, meanwhile, awarded Moylan six out of 10 but still highlighted the excitement he has generated among Ireland supporters. "There's not too many players who can get bums off seats at Aviva Stadium, but Moylan is already one of them," their assessment read. "He has made quite the impact on the international stage in a short period of time since scoring a hat-trick on his debut in May."
