Dublin-born teenager Caoimhin Fowler is making an impact with Cardiff City.
Fowler, a 19-year-old known as ‘Quivi’ to team-mates, played for Wolves, Dutch clubs Vitesse Arnhem and Dordrecht plus Leichhardt FC in Cairns and Wollongong before the family left Australia and he committed to the young Bluebirds.
He scored a magnificent goal for City at Palace in their opening Professional Development under-23 League match of 2019, turning to curl a delightful shot into the top left-hand corner.
Attacking midfield player Fowler is seen as a potential Socceroo senior international, but his current preference seems to be the Republic of Ireland.
Cardiff City battled to a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace during the PDL clash in London.
The young Bluebirds had defender Jack Bodenham sent off on a straight ted card with four minutes left, but held on for a hard-earned point.
Quivi comes from a talented family. Teenage sisters Mary. from was born in Cairns, and Ciara are causing a stir in women’s football.
The five Fowler children, born to an Irish father and Papua New Guinean mother, all of them aspire to play professional football.
Mary has said: “I want to play for Australia, but Ciara and Quivi have played for Ireland.
“We all want to play together for the same country.”
The Bluebirds included Lloyd Humphries and James Waite in their starting line-up at Palace. Both had been on FA Cup duty for Cardiff at Gillingham when manager Neil Warnock’s team were edged out 1-0.
Mark Harris, back in Cardiff after a loan spell with Newport County, started in attack and played for just over an hour.
‘Sparky’ Harris went close with a header which went just wide after four minutes, when Waite had Palace worried when he whipped a free-kick at goal and almost scored.
Central defender Ciaron Brown then made a superb tackle to prevent the Eagles from taking the lead.
Harris was denied by a magnificent save soon after half-time, but then struck with his goal.
Sam Woods equalised after 62 minutes and the final score was 1-1 despite the dismissal of Bodenham.
Substitute William Warnock, the son of City manager Neil, was closest to stealing the win when he let fly from distance, but his effort was blocked.
Glasgow-born Jack McKay was in the Bluebirds under-23 team, but twin brother Paul has gone out on loan to Morecambe.
The next fixture for City’s under-23 team is against Ipswich Town at Cardiff International Sports Stadium next Monday (January 14, Noon kick-off).
Crystal Palace: Henry, Tavares, Mitchell, Kirby, O’Dwyer, Woods, Addy (Dreher 59), Flanagan, Street, McGregor (Pierrick 59), Lumeka. Subs: Dreher, Tupper, Hungbo, Boateng, Pierrick.
Cardiff City: Matthew Hall, Jack McKay, Daniel Martin, Lloyd Humphries, Ciaran Brown, Jack Bodenham, Laurence Wootton, Quivi Fowler (William Warnock 75), Mark Harris (Connor Davies 65), James Waite, Jack Evans. Subs: Warren Burwood (gk), Ryan Pryce, Connor Davies.