Pressure won't bother Mark O’Mahony as Ireland U21s take on Slovakia in Cork 

When the Republic of Ireland U21s line out against Slovakia on Friday in Euro qualifying, pressure will mean very little to Carrigaline’s Mark O’Mahony.

The forward is in a stacked squad that includes Tottenham Hotspur bound Mason Melia, a name that is attracting a considerable amount of attention over his run of form with St Patrick’s Athletic.

Michael Noonan is also in the group, during a season that involves fight for a league and cup double with Shamrock Rovers.

O’Mahony is not worried about any comparisons with his striker partners as he gets ready to come home.

“Not so much to be honest – I don’t really look into social media and all of that too much if I am being honest,” he told The Echo.

“I think having all the best players from all over the country at the one age group in the one team can only be a positive thing and I think with me, Mason, and Michael there is good competition. 

"Competition gets the most out of players. In terms of headlines, stuff like that doesn’t bother me.

“I go out onto the pitch the same, regardless if there is stuff in the headlines or there is not. I think having the three of us here is really good competition and I think it only makes us better.” 

O’Mahony is also going into this international window with a point to prove after an injury laden run that stopped the striker from having a prolonged period in the team.

The striker isn’t looking at this as an opportunity to put the last few months behind him, as the focus is scoring goals with the U21s.

“I think, as I said a while ago, you want to always be scoring goals as a striker,” he said.

“If I’m able to go to Turner’s Cross and help the team win. Whether that is scoring goals or not. It’s my job in the team.

“In terms of a point to prove, I don’t know. I don’t really see it like that. In my head I want to help the team out as much as I can and hopefully that is scoring goals in front of a Cork crowd.” 

O’Mahony goes into this camp at the start of a yearlong loan spell at Reading in League One.

The striker is learning under former Ireland international Noel Hunt and he is tasked with learning his trade in one of the most gruelling environments in football that involves four different competitions stretched across nine months.

O’Mahony recently got his first goal for the club, during a 3-1 victory over West Ham in the EFL Trophy.

“It has been good – it was a tougher start to the season that I would have wanted but that is all part of going out on loan and getting those experiences,” he talked about the start of his season.

“I’m just happy that I have been playing a lot this year and the club has been very good to me.”