We are doing Oll’ we can to be successful
OLLIE HORGAN reckons the ambition of the Galway board will lead to sustained success.
Following a host of relegation scraps at Finn Harps — winning four, losing two of those — Horgan switched to Eamon Deacy Park 18 months ago as John Caulfield’s right-hand-man.
And he has made a noticeable difference, helping Galway win the First Division title last year, guiding them to fifth after a third of this season’s top flight.
Tonight the Tribesmen face Derry, seven days after securing their first point against Shamrock Rovers since 2009.
With Derry and Shelbourne’s scalps already taken this year, there is a feelgood factor around Terryland, but Horgan knows that will only last so long.
He said: “There is no point smelling yourself when you have beaten Shelbourne, when you have the likes of Derry coming around the corner.
“Yet, as I keep saying, it is mighty that the best teams in the country are coming to us, and long may that continue.”
At Harps he had the best teams coming to Finn Park in six of his nine seasons — yet it was always a scrap.
Progress 7.45pm, Eamon Deacy Park
With Galway, he is keen to see year-onyear progress.
“The key to it is that you can continue to build and kick on,” said Horgan. “From my previous experience, every time we survived, we lost half a team.
“I don’t see that happening in Galway. If we do survive — and please God we will — then we can build.
“The question then will be ‘can we go one better the following year’? Certainly Galway has ambition. And that was the key (to me joining them), when I met them 18 months ago.
“Every one of them in that dressing room wants to kick on to another level. It takes a lot of doggedness, huge ambition, to even get a point in the Premier Division.
“But perhaps the point we got last Friday could be the vital point that keeps us up.
Together
“There are no world beaters in there. But they are very down to earth, very much together, and there are no egos.
“That can get you so far. You need better quality when it comes to making decisions in the final third
vas well.
“But they are a fit team, an honest team, a good team. Everyone here is striving to become a better team.”
Garry Buckley and Colm Horgan are missing for the Tribesmen.
Derry, meanwhile, have bounced back after losing to Galway at home and are on a mini-run of success after posting back-toback wins.
Their manager Ruaidhri Higgins (above) said: “The reaction over the last two games has been really pleasing. We’ve created a number of goalscoring opportunities in the games and the players have reacted brilliantly.
“Galway have a lot of experience. They’re really well drilled. They’re compact and they’ve got a few players that can hurt you at the top end of the pitch as well.
“You look at all their games, they’ve been extremely tight and I don’t expect this to be any different.
“But it’s a really good place to go and play. A nice stadium. And it’s a game we’re looking forward to so hopefully we can get the job done.”
Galwegian Pat Hoban returned from injury last week to score his ninth goal of the season against Waterford.