'Surreal' to see son score record goal in European soccer

The family of a Shamrock Rovers player has said there were "tears galore" after he became the youngest goalscorer in the Europa Conference League.

Michael Noonan hit the back of the net as Rovers beat Molde 1-0 in Norway last night, aged 16 years and 197 days.

It means that he is also the second youngest goalscorer in European club competition.

Ghana international and former Aston Villa player Nii Lamptey still holds that record after he scored for Anderlecht against Roma in the UEFA Cup in 1991 at 16 years and 100 days old.

Michael's mother, Sandie, said that watching her son score live on television was "surreal".

She said that she not at the match last night because she did not expect him to play.

"He only signed at Rovers in December and he's only been training with the team now for a few weeks.

"Obviously we knew that they had a huge game in European football, but we weren't expecting him to break into the first team so quickly, and definitely weren't expecting him to start," she told RTÉ's News at One.

"We normally don't miss any of his matches, even when he plays for the international team, we as a family travel to all his games."

Ms Noonan said there was a gathering in Co Kildare to watch the match.

"The local pub in Rathangan, The Burrow, held a watch party for him.

"All his friends and all their neighbours, his schoolmates and everything were there ... Everybody was just crying and hugging. There were tears galore."

Michael Noonan was well-known in League of Ireland circles before his move to Shamrock Rovers, having scored his first senior goals for St Patrick's Athletic in the Leinster Senior Cup last season.

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