On the first criteria, a Euro qualifier against Netherlands trumps Norway for the 21s ordinarily if there was something at stake.

There was in Drammen where Crawford’s youngsters were chasing a fourth straight victory in their campaign whereas not even the big win Kenny fantastised about in Amsterdam wouldn’t improve his lowly finish in the table of fourth.

Secondly, the talented playmaker was left on the bench watching five other subs were introduced.

Kenny, speaking since, admitted Moran was an option as an attacking midfielder or from wide but overlooked him when the opportunities arose in the second half in favour of Jamie McGrath and Troy Parrott. A creative spark in the final third was abundantly lacking.

All the second element did was compound the frustration of the first.

Kenny admitted the U21 game was a factor in excluding Moran from the original squad but circumstances changed through injuries. “We had scans of five players,” he proclaimed as part of his defence. Indeed, they did but Evan Ferguson and McGrath were passed fit by his pre-match press briefing on Thursday.

It didn’t require Didi Hamann’s tirade to highlight the folly in one of Kenny’s last acts as Ireland boss.

The European Under-21 Championships is the only tournament at any level an Irish team male team hasn’t reached.

Euro U17, U19 and senior finals have been complemented by appearances at the U20 and senior World Cups.

Last year’s feat of the women’s team reaching the World Cup knocked another achievement from the to-do list of the association.

Italy will be favourites to do what they’ve done in the previous two Euro groups shared with Ireland by finishing first.

That leaves Crawford’s cadets battling with the Norwegians for the runners-up spot, sufficient to reach the Slovakian-hosts finals in 2025 directly if they’re one of the three highest across nine groups.

Worst-case yield from finishing second is a playoff route, identical to what Crawford presided over last year when they missed out on a finals place against Israel on penalties.

Moran, in his first season at club level on loan to Blackburn Rovers from Brighton, had taken over the U21 captaincy from injured Joe Hodge during the three-match winning start. His planned role in the gameplan to nudge out the Nordics was integral, but the 3-2 defeat could be pivotal; even the missed point potentially decisive in separating the runners-up into direct passes and playoffs.

Naturally Crawford, talking in Cork during the build-up to last night’s draw against Italy, was asked for his thoughts and naturally he was diplomatic.

“To lose somebody of Andy’s quality, any team would feel it, but the bigger picture is it gives players at U21s level an opportunity to show that they can play at this stage.”

That’s the standard answer managers in his position cling to.

Aidy Boothroyd’s parting shot from the England post was branding it the “utterly impossible job” owing to the oxymoron of demands for success in tandem with being weakened from losing your best players.

His successor, Lee Carsley, did prove it was possible by winning the U21 Euros in the summer but it was aided by Gareth Southgate allowing gems such as Curtis Jones remain in the junior ranks.

Steve Clarke has adopted a similar approach to another Liverpool wonderkid Ben Doak.

There’s been a clamour to fast-track the teen into the Scotland full panel following his first-team breakthrough, but despite already qualifying, Clarke is resisting the urge.

The U21s have profited by beating Belgium away at the weekend and stay on the coattails of group leaders Spain.

“Let’s just see how things pan out,” said Clarke amid the calls for Doak’s elevation. “He is a young man, he is a very exciting talent, but sometimes you have to let them grow a bit.”

What growth Moran gained by being left idle in the Netherlands rather than an active participant on the outskirts of Oslo is debatable.

Having just turned 20, he’s arguably at least a dozen years to optimise that bright future.

Crawford will also feel a sense of loyalty to Kenny.

Although already coaching the U18 Ireland team when Kenny was appointed, the newcomer enlisted him to the U21s.

That there was no interview process to anoint Crawford as his successor when Kenny stepped up to the senior job early during covid — a gap queried by some FAI staff — suggested collegiality.

Anybody who has dealt with the U21 manager during his long stretch as player and coach in the domestic game is aware of his temperament.

Crawford will continue in FAI employment next year while Kenny seeks pastures new but the hope is that they don’t recall this week as the one that cost them a shot at history.

Later in his media duties, he outlined the platform Euro qualification could present were they to become pioneers.

“The opportunities to go toe-to-toe with Europe’s best players and best teams, I’ve no doubt that it’d be a springboard for their own careers, learning and everything. What you’d get from playing in the finals would stand to you forever.”

We may never know, but we can always ponder what Kenny’s reaction would have been if he’d been robbed of his best player for a dead rubber by Mick McCarthy during his tenure as U21 supremo.

Hill facing uphill task on staff discord

A bruising last week for Jonathan Hill has started with a quiet one but will likely become more uncomfortable towards the end.

The FAI chief executive’s belated apology to staff left Thursday for the revelations surfacing regarding double-standards on holiday pay didn’t cut it.

That statement described his payment of €12,000 arising in exceptional circumstances and was made in good faith by the association.

Precisely who approved the additional perk, outlawed for other staff in their handbook, is an issue currently under review but more detail what constitutes ‘exceptional’ will be demanded.

What also wasn’t mentioned in the words of contrition was how the blip initiated. Presumably, as lead executive of a 24-strong organisation, he’d be aware of the rules which apply in the standard contract.

There was also a dollop of either dark humour or poor taste from employees in the technical department being reminded on Monday of the restrictions around carryover holidays into next year. Use them or lose them remains.

Despite Hill declaring “his availability in the office next week to discuss all the above, and indeed, any other questions, comments or concerns that you may have”, it’s believed requests by SIPTU reps for discussions haven’t yielded a meeting date. Such is their anger by now that escalating the matter to the Sports Minister is considered likely.

Transplant squad a welcome addition for game’s inclusivity

Football For All was one of the better FAI developments to emerge during the John Delaney regime and there should be another worthy cause joining the stable.

Transplant Football Ireland has almost 25 transplant recipients playing on their team — they have received transplants of organs including heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and bone marrow.

They regularly play internationals, including a recent 3-3 draw against England, and will be representing Ireland in the first Football Transplant World Cup in Italy in September 2024.

Each of the players has his own inspiring story of overcoming adversity.

One of the main dividends arising from their participation is the public promotion of organ donation awareness.

Football is a game for everybody and this development, which will likely extend to include a women’s squad, is one of those stories needed after another mixed bag of fortunes for the game here this year.

Email: john.fallon@examiner.ie