CAOIMHIN KELLEHER will become one of the best goalkeepers in the world, according to Kevin Doyle.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper continued his amazing season with a stunning penalty save in their 1-0 win over Finland on Thursday.
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He had come into the game amidst a strong season for Liverpool, having started eight of their last nine games in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker.
And speaking on RTE, ex-Ireland striker Kevin Doyle backed the Corkman to become one of the best in the world if he can stay fit and playing.
He said: “He is already a top, top class goalkeeper. but I think in five or six years time, he is going to be the top one or two goalkeepers in the world.
“He’s that good at everything he does.
“He speaks well, is cool, calm and collected on the ball, off the pitch. He just looks like he ticks every box.
“If he can get stay fit, get himself playing – or be the No1 at Liverpool or wherever he ends up – I really feel he is going to be a top, top man.”
The 25-year-old, whose post was hit twice by the Finns on Thursday night, admitted that the Boys in Green rode their luck at times.
But he believes escaping with the three points shows that they have steel they lacked in times gone by.
Kelleher said: “I think we’ve seen in the last few years, we’d have drawn or maybe lost, but I think it shows that the group is getting tighter and getting stronger.
“And we’re managing games as well, because at the end of the day, the result is the most important thing and clean sheets go a long way towards helping that.
“We’ll take positives from the performances but it’s about results at the end of the day.”
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson echoed this sentiment, arguing that his team deserved luck to go their way at the Aviva Stadium.
He said: “I am happy of course with winning, not only for the points but, psychologically, it’s good to give the fans a win here at home, good feeling.
“The performance, there was some good and some bad, sure we were lucky, they hit the post two times and Caoimhín saved a penalty but this group deserve luck, they’ve been unlucky so many times.
“I am happy with a lot of things but I am under no illusions we need to play better than we did.
“I am not jumping with joy. If we are to qualify for the World Cup we need to win against higher-ranked teams.
“With this performance, we probably wouldn’t have.
“This win is good for the spirit but I am under no illusion that we need to be better.”