CORK CITY ARE likely to have a difficult job on their hands to retain the services of Sean Maguire beyond the end of 2017.
Indeed, should he continue in his current vein of form, it seems inevitable that City will receive offers from the UK for the striker as soon as the summer transfer window opens.
Convincing Maguire to sign up for a second season at Turner’s Cross was the best piece of business Cork City manager John Caulfield conducted following the conclusion of the 2016 campaign.
Maguire ended last season as the SSE Airtricity League’s top goalscorer. As well as netting 18 times in the Premier Division, the Kilkenny native scored an extra-time winner against his former club Dundalk in last November’s FAI Cup final.
That marked the start of a run of goals for the 22-year-old in six competitive games in a row. Maguire chipped in with the decisive strike in last night’s 2-1 win over Sligo Rovers at Turner’s Cross, as Cork City opened up a three-point lead at the top of the table.
The Leesiders were forced to come from behind after Kieran Sadlier gave Sligo a 64th-minute lead against the run of play. Steven Beattie equalised less than a minute later as he turned in a man-of-the-match display, but Beattie sung the praises of his team-mate afterwards.
“He’s sensational,” the 28-year-old Dubliner said of Maguire. “He just needs a second and it’s a goal. He’s one on one and you just know he’s going to finish it. It’s the same in training every day.
“He’s the sort of young lad where he finishes training and he’ll stay out for an extra 20 minutes. People don’t see that, the hard work and the dedication he has. He’s a phenomenal talent. I’d back him to go all the way. He has such a good career ahead of him.
“He does the hard work, he looks after his body, he’s a model pro for anyone and he’s only still young. As a 28-year-old now I’d consider myself one of the senior pros. To see young lads like that, the club’s in good hands for the future.”
How much of a part Maguire will have to play in that future remains to be seen. Last season was impressive, but the early indications are that he’s ready to take his game to the next level in 2017.
Maguire had just turned 17 when he made his League of Ireland debut for Waterford United in 2011. A two-year spell at West Ham United then featured loan stints with Sligo Rovers and Accrington Stanley.
He returned to Ireland in 2015 for a season at Dundalk, most of which was spent on the bench, but the move to Cork last year has kickstarted the Republic of Ireland U21 international’s career.
Maguire attracted interest from across the Irish Sea during the winter but opted to stay with Cork City for another season. After three consecutive second-place finishes, John Caulfield’s side are desperate to win the club’s first Premier Division title in 12 years.
Maguire will be crucial to that objective, but Steven Beattie insists that they’re not concerned about losing their star player before the season is out. Beattie also believes that Maguire is capable of emulating the achievements of ex-Dundalk duo Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle by earning a senior international call-up.
“Seanie loves it down here. Seanie’s the sort of lad who wears his heart on his sleeve, where if he says he’s staying, he’ll stay. He’s not going anywhere, I’ll tell you that,” said former Sligo and Bohemians man Beattie, who has also had spells in the USA and Iceland.
“He’s a phenomenal pro, he’s a phenomenal fella, I can’t speak highly enough of the kid. I’ve been in many dressing rooms in Ireland and around the world, and the kid’s attitude is second to none. Some of us senior pros look to him for a bit of inspiration too when the going gets tough.
“He has a massive future in the game. You saw the boys from Dundalk last year getting a call-up to the Irish squad and I wouldn’t rule that out for Seanie. He really is destined to go to the top. We’re delighted he’s here and blessed that he signed back. As you can see, we’re flying this year and a lot of that is to do with him.”
