Winger Dylan Connolly is close to make his senior debut having impressed manager Mick McCarthy since joining the Blues in the January transfer window, having left Shelbourne at the end of the Irish season in November.
The 19-year-old, named in the Irish U21 squad last week, has been on the first-team bench on a number of occasions already but without making it on to the field so far.
"He is [getting closer to a game],” McCarthy said. "I think Dylan’s going to be a really good player for us. He played up front in the U21s game [against Colchester last week] and did really well.
"I think he’s going to be a really good player, a good right winger for us. He’s very, very quick, very direct, brave with the ball, he wants to take people on and he’s a good supplier of crosses. He’s getting closer.”
"But it’s a big ask for him to come from Shelbourne to start in a Championship side which is pushing for promotion. I think he would be hard to handle for any left-back, to be honest.”