Former Dundalk star Daryl Horgan from Galway is in line to make his Republic of Ireland debut in tonight’s friendly international against Iceland at the Aviva Stadium. Horgan received his first call-up to Martin O’Neill’s squad for last year’s World Cup qualifier against Austria in Vienna and was on the bench for it and last Friday’s draw with Wales but has yet to get any game time.
The Irish boss has promised to blood some new talent in the game and told a press conference yesterday that both Horgan and his Preston North End team mate Andy Boyle are set to feature. Asked about Horgan and Boyle, O’Neill said: “The two lads at Preston have done very well in training and acquitted themselves. It’s a chance for them to impress tomorrow.”
Horgan's meteoric rise has come on the back of a starring role with Dundalk for the last 3 seasons in which he scored 23 goals in 97 appearances, winning 3 league titles, the FAI Cup and League Cup. His senior career started in 2010 in the Airtricity League First Division with Salthill Devon, before moving to Sligo Rovers in early 2011. A loan move to Cork City in the summer of that year became permanent after winning the First Division title and after 2 seasons at Turners Cross, Horgan signed for Dundalk in December 2013. In his first season at the club, he scored five goals in 33 league appearances and was named PFAI Young Player of the Year, but it was 2016 that would prove to be the big turning point in Horgan's career as he appeared in all six of Dundalk's Champions League qualifier games in 2016 as they became the first ever Irish side to reach the play-off round. Interest followed from several cross channel clubs before it was announced in December last that Daryl and Andy Boyle would be signing for Championship side Preston.
He made his Preston debut as a substitute in an FA Cup tie against Arsenal in January and scored his first goal for the club last month in a 4–2 home win over Brentford. Horgan will join fellow Galwegians David Forde and Greg Cunningham as the most recent players to earn a full International cap when he lines out against Iceland tonight.
