‘Squad effort won us the game’ insists McCaffrey

squad effort.

‘It was fantastic to get off to a winning start. If someone had offered us a draw previous to the game, we would have taken it against a well-organised team like Galway and I think we found it difficult to breakak them down.

‘But we dug in and worked hard for each other ‘We and rode eventuallyour tuer got our rewards. luck a little bit at times and I think Galwayy had eight goodd chances in thee first half and didn’tdn’t capitalise.we regroupedBut atthalfped halftimeand got our plan togetherether and I think Pete just got the lads relaxed.

‘Everyone is excited and wants to impress and it was a bit hectic in the first half, but he got us to calm down and do what we’re good at which is pressing teams higher up the pitch.’ The goal - McCaffrey’s seventh in just 12 starts for the club - was well taken and he agreed that he hadn’t expected to make such an important contribution.

‘If you had said before the game that I would have scored the winner, I would’ve laughed at you, but itit’ss fantafantastic to score in any gamgame and to play in any ggame.

‘To be fair, when your place is taken entaken by someone like Stephen Elliott lioElliott you can’t rereally argue. He has played witwith Manchester terManchester CCity and Sunderland derlaSunderland against some oof the greats in the PremiershipPrem and played for his coucountry as well. ‘I suppose I would have had a bit of experience in the Premier Division, playing a few games for Rovers, but I’m still quite inexperienced in the league compared to the likes of the Brennans and Sean Thornton, and then you have Stephen Elliott. These are players you look up to.

‘I was disappointed not to start, but it’s going to be a long season and a very demanding league and if I can help and contribute to the team that’s what I’m going to do.’

Attention now turns to Friday’s visit of St Patrick’s Athletic and McCaffrey is expecting the Inchicore men to come to United Park like wounded animals following their disappointing start to the season.

‘Pats lost 2-1 to Bray and they won’t be happy about that, and they will come out all guns blazing against us,’ he said.

‘But we just need to knuckle down and go into it with the same mentality we had in Galway. That’s easier said than done, but it’s our first game back in United Park in the Premier and we’re really looking forward to it.

‘Credit to the fans who made the long journey to Galway - they really made a difference to us - and hopefully it will be another great night for them.’