IRELAND WINGER DARYL Horgan said he was settling into life well at Hibernian after scoring a dramatic 90th minute winner for his new club on Sunday against Ross County.
The Galway footballer left Preston North End after a season and a half at Deepdale for the Scottish Premiership and enjoyed the perfect start with the 3-2 League Cup victory, where he scored and set up another.
Reflecting on his man-of-the-match display, the 26-year-old said there were still areas of his game to improve upon, but that he was satisfied with his appearance at Easter Road.
It could have gone a bit bitter, there are definitely bits and pieces that I have to work on and improve, but hopefully that’ll come with game time and playing. I’m obviously delighted to get the win — and to get the goal on top of that is brilliant,” he said.
Joining Hibs after a lack of first-team football throughout last season at Preston, Horgan said he was happy to get the chance to get more minutes under his belt on the wing this season.
“Any winger’s job is to get down the line and get balls into the box, take people on. I suppose I’ve been given that freedom from the manager. He told me before the game ‘when you get the ball, get at your full back, I don’t mind if you lose the ball, just keep trying.’
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“So when you’ve that kind of ringing endorsement in the back of your head you just want to go and do it — and thankfully it paid off.
“I was just lucky enough it ended up in the back of the net,” he said on his 90th minute winner, which set up a quarter-final meeting with Aberdeen.
I thought Ross County played very well today, I think they really put it up to us. They made it a very difficult game and kept the ball very at time. We probably weren’t at our best today, but we got over the line and thankfully we’re in the hat for the next round.”
Horgan starred for Dundalk during his time in the League of Ireland, scoring in the Europa League, as well as winning three Premier Division titles and an FAI Cup at Oriel Park.
The Ireland international said he was settling in well at Easter Road under former Celtic boss Neil Lennon.
Horgan during Ireland's friendly against the USA in June. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
“I’ve loved it so far. It’s been absolutely brilliant, the lads have been brilliant, the staff, the whole place has been so welcoming. They’ve made it very easy to come in the door and it’s been very enjoyable so far.
“I’ve obviously watched quite a bit of Hibs and a bit of Scottish football. Anytime I watched it, I always enjoyed watching them play. They’re open, attacking, trying to get on the front foot.
I felt it would suit me coming up here, I like to get on the ball and get at people, get the ball in the box — that’s what the manager wants and how the team plays, so it suits me down to the ground.
“Over the last two or three years the club has been on a massive upward curve. It’s really been turned around ever since the club got relegated.”
He added that getting the chance to replicate his experiences with Dundalk in Europe at his new club would be a goal he was happy to help Hibs stride towards.
“I’ve played in Europe and it is brilliant, it’s one of the highlights of your career,” he said.
“If the opportunity to do it again came along — fantastic, I’d absolutely love to play it again. But it’s a tough long season and the aim is to be as high as possible and competing in every cup, so fingers crossed if we can do that it’ll be a good season.
“Hopefully I can get myself into the team and stay in the international setup as well. If I can play as much football as I possibly can, big games coming up and things like that, hopefully the manager (Martin O’Neill) will be watching and there will be opportunities.”
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'I was just lucky it ended up in the back of the net' - Horgan satisfied with dramatic 90th minute winner
IRELAND WINGER DARYL Horgan said he was settling into life well at Hibernian after scoring a dramatic 90th minute winner for his new club on Sunday against Ross County.
The Galway footballer left Preston North End after a season and a half at Deepdale for the Scottish Premiership and enjoyed the perfect start with the 3-2 League Cup victory, where he scored and set up another.
Reflecting on his man-of-the-match display, the 26-year-old said there were still areas of his game to improve upon, but that he was satisfied with his appearance at Easter Road.
Joining Hibs after a lack of first-team football throughout last season at Preston, Horgan said he was happy to get the chance to get more minutes under his belt on the wing this season.
“Any winger’s job is to get down the line and get balls into the box, take people on. I suppose I’ve been given that freedom from the manager. He told me before the game ‘when you get the ball, get at your full back, I don’t mind if you lose the ball, just keep trying.’
“So when you’ve that kind of ringing endorsement in the back of your head you just want to go and do it — and thankfully it paid off.
“I was just lucky enough it ended up in the back of the net,” he said on his 90th minute winner, which set up a quarter-final meeting with Aberdeen.
Horgan starred for Dundalk during his time in the League of Ireland, scoring in the Europa League, as well as winning three Premier Division titles and an FAI Cup at Oriel Park.
The Ireland international said he was settling in well at Easter Road under former Celtic boss Neil Lennon.
“I’ve loved it so far. It’s been absolutely brilliant, the lads have been brilliant, the staff, the whole place has been so welcoming. They’ve made it very easy to come in the door and it’s been very enjoyable so far.
“I’ve obviously watched quite a bit of Hibs and a bit of Scottish football. Anytime I watched it, I always enjoyed watching them play. They’re open, attacking, trying to get on the front foot.
“Over the last two or three years the club has been on a massive upward curve. It’s really been turned around ever since the club got relegated.”
He added that getting the chance to replicate his experiences with Dundalk in Europe at his new club would be a goal he was happy to help Hibs stride towards.
“I’ve played in Europe and it is brilliant, it’s one of the highlights of your career,” he said.
“If the opportunity to do it again came along — fantastic, I’d absolutely love to play it again. But it’s a tough long season and the aim is to be as high as possible and competing in every cup, so fingers crossed if we can do that it’ll be a good season.
“Hopefully I can get myself into the team and stay in the international setup as well. If I can play as much football as I possibly can, big games coming up and things like that, hopefully the manager (Martin O’Neill) will be watching and there will be opportunities.”
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Scottish League Cup Daryl Horgan Hibernians Irish Abroad Scottish Premiership WINGER