DARYL HORGAN IS hopeful Ireland can end their goalscoring woes in tomorrow’s Uefa Nations League game with Finland.
Ireland have scored just once in four games under Stephen Kenny, and are yet to do so from open play. It’s a problem that pre-dates Kenny, however: since March 2017, Ireland have scored just 16 goals in 25 competitive matches.
Horgan, however, is optimistic the drought will end soon.
“How do you fix it…that’s why the best centre forwards go for a hundred million quid”, said Horgan when asked if there’s a fix for Ireland’s scoring woes.
“It could be the case of us getting one and they’ll flow. It might be a bit of confidence, or luck, whatever you like to call it. Maybe, on Wednesday, it will hit someone on the arse and go in, and it could just go from there.
“It’s easier said than done, but the rest of the stuff is very, very good. You can see what the manager has put in place and the way he wants us to play. We are creating chances so that side of it is good. Now it’s the last, tiny detail, but the most important detail.”
Horgan was a late addition to the Irish squad for Sunday’s goalless draw with Wales, with he and Sean Maguire added as replacements for Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah.
“It wasn’t something I was really expecting, but every time you get the chance to join up with your country is a massive, massive honour and something I’d never turn down.
“Luckily, I was ready to go but I hadn’t planned on going as I had stuff with the family to do in England. But the option came up and I went for it. Delighted to get the call and to get another cap is incredible.”
Horgan made an instant impact as a substitute against Wales, injecting pace and energy into the Irish attack. Horgan, now at Wycombe Wanderers in the Championship, made his Irish debut in 2017 based largely on his performances at Dundalk, and says he is happy to be working under Kenny again, along with his assistant Damien Duff.
“It obviously helps. This is a new team, he has a similar enough way of playing but with a few differences. I know the manager, I played under him before and he was the one to instill belief in me, so that’s a big plus.
“The staff have been excellent, obviously we’ve only been in a couple of days. I spoke to [Damien] Duff on Saturday and he outlined what he wanted me to do very, very clearly. When you have that clarity going on to the pitch it’s a big, big help.”
