Advertisement Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures Behind the Lines Sportswriters discuss their careers and the work that inspires them. Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Shamrock Rovers' Michael Noonan celebrates after scoring a goal.Ryan Byrne/INPHO Irish football's other teenage sensation delivers on the big stage After weeks of Mason Melia-dominated coverage, Michael Noonan is a reminder of the immense potential that exists elsewhere in the Premier Division. 9.35pm, 13 Feb 2025 Share options Paul Fennessy THE LAST FEW weeks of Irish footballing discourse have been dominated by a hugely gifted teenager who has moved away from St Patrick’s Athletic and looks set for big things. Mason Melia’s record-breaking potential €4 million move to Tottenham grabbed countless headlines, with the similarly talented Michael Noonan’s departure from the Saints going somewhat under the radar by comparison. But on tonight’s evidence, Noonan seems to have a similarly high ceiling to his former teammate. The word ‘prodigy’ tends to be overused in football. But in Noonan’s case, it is not an outlandish description. The Kildare teenager has already eclipsed Melia in one respect. Aged 15 years and nine months, he became St Pat’s youngest-ever starter. Tonight was not even his first experience of the Uefa Conference League. He was on the bench for four of the Saints’ six matches in the competition last year. “I’ve watched Michael’s game and progress since he was virtually a baby, really,” Rovers boss Stephen Bradley told the Shamrock Rovers website after the club signed Noonan. “I saw him play numerous times in Roadstone and followed his career since then. I tried to get Michael in last year, but it didn’t happen. “When I knew he wanted to come to Rovers this time around, it was a no-brainer for us as a club. “Michael is one of the best young players in the country and, as well as producing our own, we got to recruit the best as well so Michael falls into that category. He’s a player I’ve watched for some time and he has real ability and a great attitude, so I’m delighted to get him in.” Bradley added that Noonan would be involved in the first team “straight away”. Not many would have anticipated that included a start in one of Rovers’ biggest games of the season. The phrase “he doesn’t play like a 16-year-old” was uttered by more than one Rovers interviewee before and after the match at Molde this evening. Advertisement Bradley was keen to emphasise that they didn’t just pick Noonan for the sake of it or to create headlines, he was in the starting XI on merit. Rovers risked looking silly if Noonan appeared out of his depth playing at a level he had never experienced before. It would be completely understandable if the attacker failed to get to grips with the game and had minimal impact. Precocious teenagers, no matter how talented, are invariably raw and error-prone when thrown in at the deep end. When 19-year-old Will Lankshear was given the nod to start for Tottenham in the Europa League earlier this season, he scored after 18 minutes but was also sent off on the hour mark as Spurs suffered a 3-2 defeat at Galatasaray. But tonight, Noonan lived up to the ludicrously high expectations placed on his shoulders. The winning goal may have been a tap-in, but it was a more difficult chance than it looked. The youngster showed remarkable sharpness to get to the ball ahead of the defender after great work by Dylan Watts in the build-up, while it was one of the more forgettable moments of Norway international and former Man United youngster Mats Møller Dæhli’s distinguished career, as he recklessly conceded possession inside his area. Had Noonan shown any hesitation or delayed his movement by a split second, the chance would have been gone. Instead, he demonstrated a striker’s instinct, highlighting why he has regularly lit up games at youth level, registering 10 goals in 16 appearances for Irish underage teams, with many observers tipping him for the top. Michael Noonan with a HUGE goal 😱 The 16-year-old gives Shamrock Rovers the lead in Norway on his debut ☘️ pic.twitter.com/c0D2gsvyTs— Premier Sports Ireland (@PremSportsIRL) February 13, 2025 There were several other occasions where Noonan played with maturity beyond his years. Other youngsters might have lost their discipline. He cut an isolated figure for large portions of the first half, as Molde dominated possession. Yet on the rare opportunities he had, Noonan did well, showing impressive physicality and hold-up play to win multiple free kicks. It was a moment in the 42nd minute, however, where Bradley would have known for sure that his bold decision to start Noonan had been vindicated. Rovers had not been allowed to play much football in the first half but one of their few brilliant counter-attacking moves paid dividends. A clever knockdown by Danny Mandroiu allowed Watts to play an incisive through pass. Noonan then showed an impressive turn of pace to drive past Valdemar Lund. The Denmark U21 centre-back chopped down the striker as he was bearing down on goal, and deservedly received a red card for this ill-timed challenge. Huge moment in Norway 🤯 Valdemar Lund is shown red after denying Michael Noonan a scoring chance 🟥 pic.twitter.com/lkoIRicvxy— Premier Sports Ireland (@PremSportsIRL) February 13, 2025 That moment was the making of Shamrock Rovers and Noonan, as player and team grew substantially in confidence. And whatever happens to Noonan for the remainder of his career, tonight is an occasion he will never forget. His goal at 16 years and 197 days sees him break Romelu Lukaku’s record as the youngest goalscorer in European club competition history. Since Brexit, there has been an ongoing debate about whether Irish players under the age of 18 — who are no longer eligible to move to Britain as they once were — are better off staying in the League of Ireland or going elsewhere in Europe. Many talented Irish youngsters have moved to clubs in countries like Germany, Italy and France. The likes of Melia and Noonan — who has been on trial and linked with a move to Man City — have opted to stay in Ireland until they turn 18. One of the primary concerns for this route is that the teenagers’ development will be slowed by training in comparatively second-rate Irish facilities. As Shelbourne boss Damien Duff recently commented on Tottenham-bound Melia, when he moves to England, the striker will be playing “catch up”. It is a valid point, but it does not necessarily mean the stay-at-home route is ill-advised. Had Noonan opted to further his development and joined a club abroad, he would not have been exposed to experiences such as the one he enjoyed tonight. Instead, the bright prospect would be consigned to the relative obscurity of youth football, likely for another few years. The choice to move to Rovers means he is now a matchwinner in a major European club competition — no other 16-year-old footballer in the world can say that. 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