Bishop Guertin's Ryan Neary, left, battles Pinkerton's Jackson Garrett for the ball during Wednesday's Division I prelim at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – When you wake up this morning, Liam Ireland may be in your kitchen making you breakfast.

When you go to work, he might be there welcoming you at the door. Got an errand to run at the store. He might be the cashier.

Why? Because if Wednesday’s 2-0 Bishop Guertin Division I boys soccer prelim round win over No. 14 Pinkerton Academy is any indication, Ireland is absolutely everywhere.

That’s what he did yesterday, likely covering every inch of the Motta Field turf at Stellos Stadium.

Ireland had his hands full, covering Pinkerton’s talented striker, Miles Shea. Not only did he manage to do that, but also was a factor at the other end of the field. His PK goal in the 61st minute provided the No. 3 Cards (13-2-2) with important insurance in a wild affair that turned into a yellow cardfest.

“I love to be everywhere,” the senior back said. “That’s me. Just try to help out my team as best I can. Wherever they need me, that’s where I’m at.”

“Liam, I think over the four years you’ve had a great chance to see him evolve as a player,” said Guertin coach Tyler Vandeventer, his team now set to host No. 6 Hanover (11-3-3) in Saturday’s quarterfinals. “And now we’re getting to see the best of it.

“If you talk to any coach that wants to make a long playoff run you’ve got to play your best soccer in October and the beginning of November. He’s certainly doing it.”

Ireland made sure to make it known he had help on Shea, working with center backs Andrew Klyop and James Guidry.

Pinkerton (4-10-3) had three golden chances in the first half thanks to Shea. One ball hit the post, another slow roller was booted away by defender Griffin Cassell after goaltender Beau Boughter got a small piece of it, and Boughter made a big save on a corner, reaching high. But none was better than his sliding stop on Shea in the second half on a breakaway attempt.

Meanwhile, Trenton Cormier buried a 20-yard blast just over 12 minutes in to give the Cards a 1-0 lead. Then BG applied intense pressure, coming up empty until Ireland’s penalty kick that found the far corner of the goal to the left of besieged Astros keeper Levi Jason.

“I’ve been working on it all summer, all off- season, taking about a thousand of them,” Ireland said of PKs. “I knew where I was going and slotted it in perfectly.”

Bishop Guertin’s Luis Hass gets sandwiched as the ball gets away during Wednesday’s Division I prelim at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

The penalty kick came as a result of a takedown in the box from behind by Astros’ Justin Howell. That’s what BG’s intense possession style creates.

“That’s the objective, we want to control the game as much as possible, possession with a purpose,” Vandeventer said. “It puts us in position to mitigate any chances for the other team as well.”

The Cards tied their next opponent Hanover, 3-3 at Stellos back on Oct. 6, and will certainly have their hands full Saturday (game time tba). Wednesday’s triumph is BG’s first tourney win in likely a decade or more. The Cards were last in the finals in 2004, their last state title, and the program has suffered some tough years. Vandeventer got them into the tourney his first year, 2022, but they were quickly eliminated. After two non-tourney seasons, seniors like Ireland, who were freshmen in ’22, are now reaping the benefits of three years of experience.

“This is huge” Ireland said. “Made the playoffs freshman year, got robbed sophomore, junior year, now we’re back and ready to take it home.”

Thus the Cards were amped up, many of their shots leaving the field, as well as their bodies on fast runs. “Overall, I think you’ll see in the second round a lot more composure,” Vandeventer said. “We got the one game under our belt now. We have the experience.”

And they have Ireland, their Everywhere Man.