CONOR Hourihane was keen to keep his feet on the ground after his Barnsley team enjoyed the ideal start to their new League One campaign.
The Bandon man’s team won 3-1 away to his former club Plymouth, and it was just the start that Hourihane wanted.
‘It’s a long, long season so there’s nothing to get too excited about,’ the Barnsley head coach said, though keen to highlight that he feels this group has grown since last season. They led 2-0 at half time, and while Plymouth pulled a goal back in the second half and Barnsley were reduced to ten men, the Tykes struck next to secure the win.
‘We would have lost that last year, no question. We had a couple of situations last year where we may have been ahead and folded a little bit, but there seems like a bit of an edge to this group and the culture togetherness that we’ve tried to bond over the course of preseason.
‘That was there to see in abundance in the game.’
Describing the season opener as a ‘mad game’, Hourihane was happy to leave Plymouth with the league points, as he’s keen to make an impression as Barnsley head coach. Next up is a home game against Burton this Saturday.
