BANDON'S Conor Hourihane has captained Derby County to automatic promotion from League One to the Championship.
The West Cork soccer star came on as a second-half sub as the Rams beat Carlisle United 2-0 and secure runners-up spot in League One, behind winners Portsmouth. Derby finished their league campaign on 92 points, five ahead of Bolton in third place.
This is Hourihane's third promotion in English football, having captained Barnsley to League One promotion in 2016, and then playing a key role in Aston Villa's promotion to the Premier League in 2019.
To think @ConorHourihane left Bandon when he was 16 years old, chasing the dream of being a pro footballer, and now at 33, he's still adding chapters to his story. Brilliant to see. 👏 https://t.co/uCQJjsyBnl pic.twitter.com/CzOUpcfpmn
— Kieran McCarthy (@KieranMcC_SS) April 27, 2024
Hourihane (33) joined Derby in the summer of 2022, and was named in the Sky Bet League One Team of the Season for the 2022/23 campaign. This season the experienced midfielder made 41 appearances in the league, scored five goals and provided eight assists.