Sunderland coach outlines why Ireland striker Aaron Connolly is in line for first-team debut

Sunderland and Ireland striker Aaron Connolly bravely opened last week about his battle with alcohol addiction.

The qualities that turned Aaron Connolly into a Premier League sensation have been evident during his short time so far at Sunderland, according to Under-21 head coach Graeme Murty.

Connolly, who is set for his first-team bow this weekend when the Black Cats face his former side Hull City, impressed once again on Tuesday night with the second-string outfit.

He scored twice in their 3-2 win over Huddersfield Town, adding to his goal in the 6-0 thumping of Derby County last week.

READ MORE: League of Ireland side Finn Harps to adopt Exeter City ownership model amid ‘cease to exist’ warning

READ MORE: Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson reveals health set-back that impacted Greece preparations

Speaking in the wake of the Huddersfield win, Murty detailed how the Galway native had caught the eye of first-team boss Regis Le Bris with his performances both on the training pitch and with the Under-21s.

“Training with the group he's been really good to work with,” said Murty of a player that burst onto the Premier League stage with a two-goal display on his first start for Brighton at the age of 19.

“He's vocal and communicates with the young players, he's teaching them by example, he's giving them good words but also isn't shy about getting after a few players if they fall below the standard which is good.

“And he's a very, very good finisher. You see that in training all the time but for him to do that (in the games), he's shown he's a threat.”

Connolly courageously opened up last week about his battle with alcoholism and his decision during the summer to spend a month in a clinic.

After emerging from his treatment, he signed for Sunderland, where he began to rebuild his fitness. He played 45 minutes against Derby and completed 70 in the Huddersfield game - and according to Murty he didn’t want to come off the pitch.

“We want to make sure we can showcase him as well as we can, support him as well as we can but ultimately it's down to the player to show the right attitude and take the opportunity to get sharp and fit,” said the Under-21 coach.

“You saw [at Huddersfield], he was quite disappointed when he came off after 72 minutes, albeit he was supposed to come off at 60, which is brilliant for us and a great example for the players.”

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts