Dundalk duo not ‘token gestures’ in Martin O’Neill’s squad

Rituals. On the warm-up jog around the pitch to start the session, Daryl Horgan felt a tap of the shoulder and turned around to find Alex Pearce introducing himself. A couple more did the same as they shuffled their way around. Robbie Brady wrapped Andy Boyle in a hug, not to introduce himself, just to welcome. Boyle knows Brady from way back and his uncle would have coached the rising star at St Kevin's fadó, fadó. Big stage, small world.

The inclusion of the Dundalk duo in Martin O'Neill's 28-man squad for Saturday's qualifier in Austria added a bit of colour to a stubbornly grey day in Abbotstown. Horgan and Boyle were excused from training due to them being in recovery from the FAI Cup final on Sunday – although they'd have played in bare feet if they were let.

On their arrival on Monday, Roy Keane reminded them both that they were in the squad for a reason. "He said, 'You're here on merit,'" says Horgan. "'It's not a token gesture.' So that helped a lot, it was good of him to do that."

Dizzied

Life has been moving fast for Boyle and Horgan these past couple of months and there’s always a chance of being dizzied by the whole experience. They’ve played in front of crowds ranging from a couple of hundred in Longford to well over 30,000 in Warsaw, all in the space of a few days. They’ll head to Austria tomorrow for a World Cup qualifier while some of their opposition from Sunday’s cup final go and join the live register for the winter.

“Unfortunately, that’s how the league works, I suppose,” says Boyle. “Lads are out of contract. I was talking to a Cork lad who won the cup yesterday and he was saying, ‘I’ve got to go on the dole this morning.’ It’s crazy how it works.

“It’s nice for us to get in here and give it our all and enjoy the experience. I’ve worked very hard over the last few years to be involved in stuff like this. It’s great for two League of Ireland lads to be involved with the Irish squad.

“It’s obviously a difficult time for lads to be out of work. Christmas is the time of year when you need the money the most, to be honest. A few lads put a few bob away which is a bit of a help, but it’s not ideal. The league’s been like that for a long time and the sooner they bring on the 50-week contracts, the better.”

It’s not so long ago since Boyle did a bit of sales-repping in the off-season to keep him going until football came around again. And now he’s in the Ireland squad. When Dundalk are finished up in Europe, he’s out of contract. Horgan’s future will become clearer then as well. Hopping between the two worlds must make their head spin to some degree, whether they want to admit it or not.

“I have always said I am very happy at Dundalk,” says Horgan. “But if a good offer came in I would have to consider it. You would be mad not to because it is such a short career as well. I am in no massive panic to leave Dundalk, either.

Happy family

“We are like a happy family up there. I am enjoying my football. The fickleness of League of Ireland, as well, though. You just never know. It might come where I have things to weigh up, but at the minute I have none. I have no offers, anywhere. There is nothing to decide really. I am a Dundalk player. So it is something I need to have a think about.”

Neither new boy is a boy at all. Horgan is 24, Boyle is 25. Both have underage experience for Ireland but you have to dig a bit to find it. On the face of it, they have a bit to go before O’Neill turns to them on Saturday night. But all they can do is make an impression and hope for the best.

“The fact that we’re in the 28 at the minute, you never know, something could happen,” says Horgan. “Look, I’m probably a good bit down the pecking order but hopefully if I train well, who knows?

“I don’t think the manager would have brought us in if he didn’t think we were up to standard,” says Boyle. “Or if it came to it where he needed to use us, that he couldn’t. I don’t think that’s the way he thinks. It’s great to get the recognition and it was something to look forward to after Sunday.

“I will use this as a stepping stone. It’s nice recognition to be involved – it’s not very often that League of Ireland players are called in, especially for a qualifier against a good side. So to be part of the group is massive, it builds up real pride for your family and friends.”