We weren’t even a full week into January 2023 before Boro’ had two new names in the squad; the second of which was Daryl Horgan. The attacking midfielder arrived from Wycombe Wanderers on loan as boss Steve Evans worked out which players could strengthen our promotion push. Horgan wasn’t exactly a stranger to first team action up in League One during the first half of the 2022-3 season either; appearing 17 times and scoring once. That being said, the Chairboys clearly felt they could survive without him – so in he came at the Lamex.
The announcement of Horgan’s signature came a day-or-two after Jake Forster-Caskey was confirmed as our first new recruit that January. At 30-years-old (sorry Daryl), the midfielder was no spring chicken. But where youth has passed, experience takes its place. And few could offer the know-how that Horgan had to offer. A title winner in his homeland with Dundalk, he arrived having played in the Championship with Preston North End and the Scottish top flight with Hibernian. Oh, he is also a Republic of Ireland international; scoring his first senior goal in June 2021.
Daryl Horgan: Before Boro’
A rugadh i nGallimh (yeah, we can speak the lingo), Horgan’s first endeavours in football started with his local side –Salthill Devon. He came into a footballing family too, with his father coaching and siblings playing themselves. In the case of Daryl, his career would take him to Sligo Rovers in February 2011. Cork City then secured his services after a loan deal, where he won the Irish First Division title. And then it was to Dundalk in late 2013; reportedly rebuffing the interest of some Football League teams on this side of the Irish Sea too.
His chance in English football would soon come after lifting the Irish Premier Division title. His form had attracted the interest (apparently) of giants such as Everton and Newcastle United. And the lure of ‘nearly disgusting‘ money took him ultimately out of Ireland and into England – albeit with Preston North End. After falling out of favour at Deepdale, Horgan went north of the border to Hibernian in August 2018… and then came back down to England with Wycombe Wanderers two years later for a fee worth £50k.
So, just the League of Wales and NIFL Premiership to tick off now. But first? To help Boro’ win promotion…
