By Gary Ferry
It has been quite the week for Eoin Toal, playing against Manchester United just 72 hours before starring on his Derry City debut at Finn Park on Monday night.
The former Armagh City and Institute defender featured for Northern Ireland in the SuperCup NI opening match against the Red Devils at the Coleraine Showgrounds. With that experience behind him. Toal re-joined his Derry City team mates as they prepared for the derby game at Finn Park. Toal admits he was well aware that Aaron Barry was suspended due to his red card at Bohemians, but he was nonetheless shocked to find out he would be starting the game.
“I’m happy with the win and I’m happy with my own performance but it was more important to get the three points,” he said. “It’s tough to come down here and beat Finn Harps so it was a good result.
“I didn’t actually think I’d be starting but it just shows you that Kenny trusts his young players and I just respect him for that so much, and hopefully I proved him right. My aim this year was definitely not to be playing every week but to fill in for Aaron Barry, who is a top player, it will be no surprise if he comes back in. I’ll just do my best in training and keep plugging away in training and it’s up to the manager to choose the team at the end of the day.”
Toal is not getting ahead of himself despite his debut, well aware that he is still a long way away from becoming a regular I the City first team. Nevertheless, he remains excite about the future ahead of him at Derry City.
“It’s two steps up from Armagh City but at the end of the day, I’m a footballing centre-half, well I think I am anyway, and that’s the way Derry play,” he added. “I love the way they play, bringing it out from the back. I enjoyed tonight.”
It was a significant night, not only for Toal, but close friend Darren Cole, who scored the crucial goal just three minutes from time to all but seal the win for Derry.
“Myself and Coley share a wee apartment together and we’re best friends and I’m buzzing for him,2 Toal said. “He loves it here at Derry. I nearly scored myself, I hit the crossbar, so I was unlucky but at the end of the day it’s all about the three points so I’m happy with the win.”
Toal is now looking forward to Sunday’s game against Limerick, and whilst Aaron Barry should return for City, Toal’s performance has at least given Kenny Shiels food for thought, which is significant consolation for the young defender.
“It’s definitely a massive game,” he acknowledged. “Three points is a must against Limerick if we want to stay in third place and get into Europe this year. I haven’t played at Maginn yet but I’ve watched a load of games, and the atmosphere is unbelievable. It would be good sometime to get a game there and see what it’s like and to savour the atmosphere.
“I’m only 18 at the end of the day and Kenny knows that but I’m just going to keep working hard in training, and then it’s up to Kenny to pick the team. I’ll respect his decision no matter what because he threw me in there tonight and he trusted me, and at the end of the day it’s up to him to make the call.”
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