'I think we'll be fine' says Cork City's Seani Maguire before jetting off for mid-season break

The League of Ireland’s mid-season break is upon us, and Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has again made clear how he feels about it.

“There's an air of the jolly boys out, they are meeting at the terminal tomorrow, they are meeting at the pub in the terminal.

"It's a week on the gargle. That's not the football education I had in England,” stated Duff, who recently described this mid-season break as "amateurish."

But it’s fair to say some of the footballers feel a little differently about it.

“I'm going to Portugal with the family Sunday, for a couple of days, so it'll be a nice little break, just myself, my wife, the baby, and the grandparents,” itted Seani Maguire, speaking minutes after Duff in the aftermath of Cork City’s 1-1 draw with Shelbourne on Friday night.

“I've a couple of buddies over there as well. Yeah, look, I think the mid-season break, you can look at it two different ways, where you can go and just have a break totally away from football.

“But I think the message was clear from the manager in there, that we'll be back in the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and throughout the week leading up to the Bohs game, because this is a big 18 games for us.” 

That result proved to be enough to edge City a point clear of bottom club Sligo Rovers at the halfway point in the Premier Division campaign, but it was the performance under newly appointed manager Gerard Nash that provides the club with reasons to be hopeful.

“I think we'll be fine. A couple of lads coming back fit, hopefully a couple more bodies through the door, and we'll see us win a lot more games than we lose” added Maguire, who was also keen to praise Cathal O’Sullivan following rumours linking him with a move to FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.

“I think young Cathal will make his own decision. I think he can be whatever he wants. I think he's one of the best young fellas I've played with, and that includes England.

“Not just because of his talent, it's just his attitude towards everything, I think that's what teams in England will look for first, because you can just see it clear as day how good he is on the ball, he's a joy to play with.

“When he eventually goes to England, I'll be gutted not to play with him again, because of how good he is.

“But I'll be keeping tabs on his career, because I think he'll definitely play for Ireland, he's that good, and he'll definitely go and play at the highest level in football in England.

“His first touch is unbelievable, and it's not just his taking players on 1v1, just the basics of football, he does really well.

“He plays like a fella that's probably 10 years older than his age. He's brilliant, and as I said, his attitude is A1.

“He's so strong. Even in training there could be two or three lads hanging off him, and he just stands up.

“You see him in games there, he's getting kicked, he's getting lashes in the back, and he just keeps going and going and going.

“He'll go on to have an unbelievable career, I've no doubts about that. I genuinely think he's the best teenager in the country. 

"I've obviously seen and I haven't played with the other teenagers in the country, but I genuinely think he's special, and he's the best teenager in the country.

"Whatever the club get from him, he probably should be worth 10 times more."

Maguire also spoke highly of Djenairo Daniels, who he has struck up a promising partnership with in the absence of the injured Ruairí Keating.

Cork City's Djenairo Daniels celebrates scoring a penalty with Sean Maguire. 

Daniels signed for City at the end of April with the club announcing at the time that it was a short-term deal until July.

But it is understood the 23-year-old Dutch striker’s deal will actually expire at the end of the season, although he could still sign for another club this summer with City entitled to a fee.

“DD, since he's come in, he's done really well,” continued Maguire.

“Obviously he didn't play in quite a while, and to come in and play so many games in a short space of time is a credit to him.

“He's a fit lad, he's a strong boy, he's quick, he has everything to be a top striker. He's scored goals there that are poacher's goals.

“You can see tonight the little, short and long es, and the combination plays that we were doing, and I enjoyed playing with him tonight.

“I've only just come back in the team, and started to play with him, and I don't want to have that partnership with him, and to see him go.

“Hopefully the club get it sorted, and he'll be here for however long he wants to be.”