Town boss Mick McCarthy was delighted to see 19-year-old Conor McKendry score four and assist two during Monday’s 6-0 U23s victory over Coventry City and was pleased to see work on the training ground paying off.
"Well, he’s done all right this week,” laughed McCarthy when asked about the Northern Irishman's progress.
"I did ask him if somebody had kidnapped Conor and replaced him with somebody that hits the target!
"Tongue-in-cheek, of course, but we’re always banging on at him about keeping it under the crossbar and hitting the target, TC especially.
"And just look what happens when you do. It was a good day for him. I was delighted for him, I was delighted for all of them.
"I only saw the first-half performance because we were training on Monday. He’s doing all right, he’s doing fine. But he’s not at the level of the first team yet.”
Carnlough-born McKendry, who recently received his first call-up to the Northern Ireland U21s but without making his debut, was an unused sub for the Carabao Cup tie at Crystal Palace in August, his only involvement with a senior matchday 18 so far, aside from two brief sub appearances for Irish League Glenavon, who he left to join the Town academy from at 16.