ALTHOUGH HE CONTINUED to enhance his reputation on Saturday, Sean Maguire expressed his disappointment after Preston North End were forced to settle for a goalless draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Preston supporters voted Maguire their man of the match following a result which leaves them in seventh place in the Championship with five games played.
Maguire scored for Preston last month in his first appearance since moving from Cork City — a pre-season friendly against Burnley — but he has yet to find the net in a competitive game for his new club.
Nevertheless, the 23-year-old striker, who has been playing on the right side of a front three, continues to impress for Alex Neil’s side.
“I think we’re a bit disappointed coming away from here,” Maguire told the BBC after the draw with Middlesbrough, during which he came close to breaking the deadlock only to be denied by a good save from compatriot Darren Randolph.
“Obviously if you came to me before the game and offered me a point coming away from the Riverside, I probably would have taken it. But I feel coming away from here now I’m very disappointed.
“I thought we had plenty of chances. Middlesbrough are meant to be the division’s best and we came here and outplayed them. I think we should have come away from here with three points.”
Having been included for the first time in a provisional Republic of Ireland senior squad for the World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Georgia and Serbia, Maguire hopes to make the final cut when manager Martin O’Neill trims his panel later today for the games on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.
He said: “Every young kid’s dream is to play for their country at the highest level. It’s something I’ve dreamt of since I was four or five years of age, since I started playing football. If I do get the chance to put on that jersey I’ll relish every bit of it.”
