You’d nearly think Conor Hourihane was an old hand with this Republic of Ireland business.
You’d swear he was a senior member of the team assessing how the new lads are getting on, giving them a leg up, making them feel welcome.
But Tuesday night against Iceland was Hourihane’s first appearance for his country and he was just as new to the whole thing as Daryl Horgan was. He was actually newer – Horgan had at least been involved for the Austria camp.
That’s the point. Even the new guys trying to make an impression and taking in the whole thing for the first time couldn’t help but admire what a man playing for Dundalk just four months ago was doing for his country now.
Brilliant words to back up a brilliant performance by @pnefc's starlet https://t.co/q1vbVJBa6d #Horgan
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 28, 2017
But whilst Hourihane has been pressing for a good six seasons now since making the breakthrough in England, whilst he has proven to be one of Steven Bruce’s most important signings already at Aston Villa, he was taken aback by the 30 minutes Daryl Horgan produced at Lansdowne Road.
“We thought we passed the ball around okay even though we didn’t create a great deal of chances,” Hourihane said.
“There wasn’t much in the game to be honest – they didn’t create anything and we didn’t really create much until Horgan came on.”
It’s a mark of just how big an impact the winger had with such a short space of time that everyone noticed how everything changed upon his arrival.
That’s why Horgan easily topped the player ratings from that game.
That’s why he’s already making waves in the Championship.
The Galwegian has played 12 times in the league already since moving to Preston in January and the club have lost just twice in that time.
His rise doesn’t look like it’s anywhere near stopping but, at 26, Hourihane too could well force himself into Republic plans for the future.
“I did okay,” the Cork native was blunt about his performance.
“Obviously it’s my first start at international level, I was a bit nervous going out there but I thought I did okay. It’s nice to get the first one under the belt and hopefully I’ll crack on from here.
“Disappointing result, disappointing goal, and disappointing all round really because you dream of playing your first game and winning 3-0 or 4-0 and all that sort of stuff and it being a fairytale but it wasn’t to be.”
There’ll be another day. For both of them. And those will be good days.
