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Twelve facts about Barnsley's Irish star Conor Hourihane

CORK'S Conor Hourihane added to his growing reputation as his opening goal inspired Barnsley to a 4-0 away win at Wolves last night.

Since being promoted to the Championship with the Tykes, the 25-year-old midfielder has landed the August player of the month award, scored three goals and bagged four assists.

Is it time he had a chance to impress for the national side?

Here are some facts about the man from Bandon:

Being a Cork man, his footballing hero is, of course, Roy Keane. “Roy Keane is a hero in Ireland, but in Cork he's like a God,” Hourihane told the Journal in 2008
Hourihane has twice been signed by Keane, at Sunderland and Ipswich, but failed to make a first team appearance at either club
In his role as Ireland assistant manager, Keane has watched Hourihane in action for Barnsley, but he is yet to win a senior call-up
He has eight caps for Ireland Under-21s
After scoring 15 goals in 125 league games for Plymouth Argyle in League Two across three seasons, Hourihan scored 13 in his first season in League One with Barnsley
He now has 26 goals in 94 league games for the Tykes

With the Johnstone's Paint Trophy [Image: Getty]

Hourihane captained Barnsley as they won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and League One playoff finals at Wembley last season
Celtic, Rangers, Wigan and Aston Villa are all reportedly interested in securing his services
After taking over as Barnsley captain in December 2015, the club went from the relegation zone to playoff winners in five months, winning 16 and drawing five of the remaining 25 league games
Having won a Cork Person of the Month award in July, Hourihane is up for the Cork Person of the Year gong, to take place in January
Hourihane played football and hurling as a youngster and wanted to represented the county in both, before focussing on soccer

Cork Gaelic footballer Brian Hurley played football with Hourihane when they were younger [Image: Inpho]

Cork Gaelic footballer Brian Hurley, who played with Hourihane on the Cork primary schools’ football team, said: “He was a nightmare to mark, he’d dummy on his left or his right and he’d be gone before you knew it, leaving you flat on your ass on the grass.”

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