Ireland’s call
DUNDALK winger Daryl Horgan has backed himself to make the step up to international football after putting himself firmly on Martin O’Neill’s radar in recent weeks with his performances at home and abroad.
The Republic of Ireland boss admitted on Friday that the Galway native would have “without a doubt” made his provisional squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Moldova were it not for the Lilywhites’ hectic schedule, which will see them play at least 10 matches over the course of the next 30 days starting with this Thursday’s Europa League Group D match with Maccabi Tel Aviv at Tallaght Stadium.
The amount of games didn’t look to be having an effect on Horgan on Friday as he was the star of the show for Dundalk as they came from behind to see off Derry City 3-1 at Oriel Park.
While the 24-year-old wasn’t on the scoresheet himself, he terrorised the Candystripes throughout and set up goals for both John Mountney and David McMillan in either half.
Afterwards both his manager Stephen Kenny and Candystripes boss Kenny Shiels backed him to make the leap and while talk of international recognition has come as a surprise to Horgan, he feels he’s ready for it if given the opportunity.
“It’s great for a League of Ireland player to be spoken about at that level,” he said.
“Obviously I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get in the squad but there’s a lot of Qualifiers to go so hopefully I will get a chance.
“When you’re playing in the Europa League you’re playing in a bigger shop window, people feel you’re playing at a higher level, but I never really expected anything along those lines.
“I’d like to have been in the squad but Martin knows what’s going on.
“There’s so many games. He’s got his squad set out so hopefully they do well.
“I’d fancy myself to play at any level though. You have to back yourself. I might go in and be miles off it, you never know, but I’d like to think if I went in I could do something. It wouldn’t be something I’d be fazed by. I don’t think anyone from our squad would.”
It will be 31 years this November since Pat Byrne, then of Shamrock Rovers, became the last League of Ireland player to feature in a competitive game for the Republic of Ireland when he came on as a substitute in a 4-1 defeat to Denmark in a World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road.
However, Horgan feels that if he or any other player can make the breakthrough then there is the possibility of several more following suit.
“There’s always a perception that the league itself isn’t strong but I’d disagree with that.
“It shows how far the league has come the last while, the European games are improving the profile of all the teams and it’s great to have League of Ireland players being mentioned alongside players from the Premier League and Championship.
“If you can get one in the door who knows maybe you can get two, three or four because the players are there,” said the former Cork City man.
Instead of international football, Horgan now turns his attention to the Europa League with Dundalk in action on Thursday night against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
He said: “I’m looking forward to it. We’ll get in this week and do our work on them. The manager will have his plans and hopefully we can go out and enact them and get a result.”