SAINT STEPHEN’S DAY was one of mixed emotions for Daryl Horgan.
The former Dundalk winger picked up his first league start of what’s been a comedown campaign compared to his exciting first season, but was left frustrated as Preston dropped points for the second successive game after a stalemate with Barnsley.
Approaching the one-year anniversary of his move to the Championship club, the 25-year-old Galway man told Dave Seddon in the Lancashire Post: “It was brilliant to start and hopefully there are a few more to come.
“As I’ve said before, it has been a tough period for me personally. Everyone wants to play so to get this opportunity was great. There is a squad of 24, 25 players here who all want to play – not everyone can at the same time.
“When your chance comes you have to try and take it. Probably the Boxing Day game was not the easiest on the eye. It was a bit of a battle, a scrap and maybe we would have won it had we scored in the first half.
“The last two games have been an opportunity to pick up wins and unfortunately we couldn’t do that. I thought we played well against Nottingham Forest last Saturday but we couldn’t quite find the second goal which we needed.”
Despite a season in which all of Horgan’s league action – until yesterday, at least – had arrived from the bench, the Ireland international remains pleased with the move overall.
He’ll hope to make Alex Neil’s starting lineup once more when North End take on Cardiff on Friday night, with a visit from Middlesbrough to follow just three days later, on New Year’s Day.
“It has been a good year all in all,” he told the Post.
The last few months have been a bit difficult but we are going well as a team. I’ve made the move here, won a couple of international caps, so it’s not been bad.
“I think I have adapted well, I’ve enjoyed it so far and my aim is to push on and develop further.”
In further good news for Preston’s Irish contingent, left-back Greg Cunningham made the bench for yesterday’s game at Oakwell.
Horgan’s fellow Tribesman had been out of action since August having undergone knee surgery, but is now fit and back in manager Neil’s plans.
“Greg coming back is a big lift for us,” said Neil following yesterday’s draw. “I’d liked to have got him on but unfortunately Calum [Woods] was struggling and the last substitution was Alan Browne.”
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