After opening their Championship season with a disappointing 4-1 loss to Norwich, Blackburn got back on track on Tuesday night in the League Cup.
They won 3-1 versus Mansfield with all the goals scored by Irish players.
Anthony Stokes, who got his first Blackburn goal against Norwich at the weekend, scored twice and Shane Duffy got the other.
However, it was another Irish player who was the star for Blackburn - Jack Byrne.
The midfielder, on loan from Man City, was superb for Owen Coyle's side as he made his first start for the club.
In his match report for the Lancashire Telegraph, Paul Wheelock described Byrne as being 'a class above' everyone else in the game.
In a further analysis of the game, he gave a bit more insight into Byrne's performance.
Jack Byrne looks a player. The on-loan Manchester City midfielder’s passing, in the first half in particular, was razor sharp.
Byrne likes to drop deep, picking up possession off the centre-backs, but there was an instance early on in the tie when he won the won ball high in Mansfield’s half and played in Ben Marshall. That looks where he could make the most impact.
Byrne also received plenty of praise from Blackburn fans.
Jack Byrne - cut above rest of our team #Rovers
— Ian Herbert (@ianherbert) August 9, 2016
Quote - "if Hope Akpan starts instead of Jack Byrne ever again then Owen Coyle should be forced to explain the decision in writing." #Rovers
— Mike Delap 🇩🇰 (@MikeyDelap) August 9, 2016
Jack Byrne looks a hell of a player
— Chris James (@ChrisemaJ) August 9, 2016
Highlights from the game below.
