Jack Moylan and Tom Cannon shared five goals between them as Heimir Hallgrimsson's Republic of Ireland side laid siege to the Grenada goal in the second half of their international friendly in Spain.
The match capped off what has been a hugely encouraging training camp for Ireland, with the cameos of half-time substitutes Cannon, Andrew Moran and Will Ferry raising the tempo in Murcia after a first half that provided plenty of chances but not enough end product against what was admittedly very limited opposition.
Putting pressure on Grenada high up the pitch, Ireland started brightly in front of about 1,000 fans clad in green and they had a couple of bright moments in and around their opponent’s box but found opposition goalkeeper Trishawn Thomas in inspired form.
He was out sharply seven minutes in to deny Adam Idah after Jason Knight had played him in with a slide-rule pass before Moylan was just wide when trying to pick out the top corner from the edge of the box after a nice lay-off from Idah.
Idah was heavily involved two minutes later when he seemed certain to score when left in space close to goal, but he got his connection wrong and the ball bounced harmlessly into the hands of Thomas – although the offside flag had been raised in any case.
Thomas denied Moylan from inside the box in the 13th minute before Idah had a penalty claim waved away after a challenge from Sutton United’s Jermaine Francis.
Jayson Molumby was the next to be denied by Thomas before Mark McGuinness got a header all wrong from six yards out.
The West Indies nation were tidy in possession but showed little threat at the other end, but McGuinness did have to be alert to block a Lucas Akins' cross after he had completely skinned the Irish defence down the right-hand side.
The water break 25 minutes in signalled Irish chances turning from a 'good’ standard to ‘golden’ ones, but their clinical touch continued to evade them.
The guiltiest party of all was Idah who somehow didn’t put the side ahead just before the half-hour mark.
Ogbene burst into the box on the right-hand side and Thomas, fond of a wander, was taken out of the equation by his cut-back to Idah and although Kayden Harrack had raced back onto the line, the Swansea striker scuffed the ball the wrong side of the post when it seemed impossible to miss.
Ogbene came even closer moments later. Idah’s low cross was slightly behind him, but he flicked the ball up expertly and connected beautifully only for the ball to strike the post with Molumby unable to smuggle in the rebound.
Idah was denied once again by Thomas approaching the break while the goalkeeper rounded off a superb first-half display to get down low to push a Moylan effort, again from the edge of the area, around the post.
Forty-seven minutes of frustration gave way to relief just over 47 seconds into the second half as half-time substitute Cannon gave Ireland a much-deserved lead.
The Sheffield United man picked up a position right in front of Thomas and with Harrack – so good in the first half – far too lose, Cannon spun and forced the ball home.
Grenada nearly levelled matters in spectacular fashion as Akins fired just over from distance, but Cannon had his second 10 minutes into the second half.
It was a beautiful team goal too as a string of sharp passes brought them into the danger zone, the latter few seeing Moran fizzing an effort into Idah and his flick was superbly played into the path of Cannon who picked his spot with ease.
With all three half-time substitutes making a difference – Ferry looking very lively down the left – Ireland pressed continuously and the third goal duly arrived 62 minutes in.
Irish captain Dara O’Shea rose to meet a header deep in his own half and suddenly defence was turned into attack as his connection sent the ball forward and favourably into the path of Moylan who took a touch with his chest and fired low to the net.
At this stage it was clearly a case of how many and Cannon came close twice in quick succession to grabbing a quickfire hat-trick. Firstly, he was blocked out by Harrack as he took a shot and from Ferry’s resulting corner, he had a free header from a few yards out but it was straight at the Grenada goalkeeper.
He went even closer in the 76th minute as his free-kick smashed against the crossbar. That opportunity owed much to some lovely footwork from highly-rated youngster Rory Finneran, who was only on the field a matter of seconds before being hacked down by Parish Muirhead.
Goal number four did arrive in the 81st minute with Moylan finishing but the credit mostly going to Moran who advanced forward with purpose before delivering a neat pass into the path of his team-mate, before Moylan completed his hat-trick when he headed home at the back post after being picked out by Millenic Alli on debut.
Cannon should have joined Moylan in scoring his first Irish hat-trick in additional time, but after a sweet touch freed him up inside the area, he fired straight at Thomas in the last of many, many significant chances for Ireland across the 90 minutes.
Five really should have been seven or eight – maybe as high as 10 – but overall, Hallgrimsson got exactly what he wanted from the game, a number of fringe players putting their hand up with purpose.
A home match with Qatar awaits at the end of the month with a trip to Canada to come in June, and while Grenada provided limited opposition, Ireland’s attacking options appear in decent health ahead of that double bill.
Republic of Ireland: Max O'Leary, James Abankwah, Tayo Adaramola, Dara O'Shea, Mark McGuinness, Jayson Molumby, Conor Coventry, Jason Knight, Adam Idah, Jack Moylan, Chiedozie Ogbene.
Subs: Tom Cannon for McGuinness (ht), Will Ferry for Adaramola (ht), Andrew Moran for Conventry (ht), Millenic Alli for Idah (63), Aidomo Emakhu for Ogbene (63), Josh Keely for O'Leary (74), Rory Finneran for Molumby (74).
Grenada: Trishawn Thomas, Shavon John-Brown, Kayden Harrack, Greg Sandiford, Kane Vincent-Young, Josh Gabriel, Parish Muirhead, Ashley Charles, Myles Hippolyte, Jermaine Francis, Lucas Akins.
Subs: Benjamin Ettienne for John-Brown (66), Joshua Lett for Gabriel (66), Raheem Raeburn for Francis (78), Deanroy Phillip for Akins (78), Narshon Sylvester for Muirhead (85).
