Hourihane plots Pilgrims’ progess
But a stroll through the centre of Plymouth is the complete opposite, with so many heads turning in his direction.
From one old port city to another, the reaction to this quiet yet confident young man differs significantly because in one he would be seen as nothing more than an ordinary seaman, while in the other he is the captain.
Hourihane may have set sail from his home in Bandon almost six years ago, but stops at Sunderland, Ipswich, and, now, Plymouth toughened him up and prepared him for the choppy waters of life in League Two where he has spent the last three seasons.
Tomorrow, though, it is the unknown of the FA Cup where Hourihane and his fellow Pilgrims make the three hour and 45 minute voyage to Stoke-on-Trent to face Port Vale with a place in the fourth round – and a possible tie with a Premier League club – at stake.
So how does the skipper avoid all of the hype in a small town ahead of such a big game? Does the local butcher fling some extra lean cuts his way or is he stopped by the postman from leaving his own front garden without discussing tactics?
“It’s not really like that,” says Hourihane as modesty trumps any sort of ego that someone in his position might have. “Plymouth is a small place, so you just get left to go about your business. Sure, people recognise you but it’s not like I get mobbed on the street.
“Outside of the club, the attention doesn’t affect me at all. But come three o’clock on a Saturday, it’s all about football. That is when I have a job to do and that is all that really matters. The outside stuff doesn’t matter if you don’t do it on the pitch.”
It may be a Sunday fixture this week, but the battling midfielder can be excused for mixing his dates up considering everything else he has to deal with. For starters, there is running Plymouth’s engine room, then motivating his team-mates, and, finally, dealing with their off-field issues.
Normally that type of role is entrusted to a seasoned professional, but Hourihane is only 22. He should be at the stage of his career where he is learning from the older players in the dressing room, not giving them instructions. But he is a man now.
“I’ve grown up a lot quicker than most 22-year-olds and I suppose I had to if I wanted to make it as a footballer. It’s helped that I’ve played a lot of games for Plymouth and been able to mature by learning from my mistakes because any mistake can be costly at this level,” says Hourihane.
The former Republic of Ireland U21 international is not being flippant when he hints at the severe consequences that come with losing games in League Two as jobs can be lost – on and off the pitch – and a thriving support can quickly turn into a baying mob.
Still, Hourihane is happy with the responsibility. He is a keen learner and paid attention when Roy Keane pulled him aside at Sunderland and Ipswich or when current Plymouth boss John Sheridan has demanded specific improvements.
“Roy was brilliant for me. He was someone who I looked up as a kid and I remember going over to Manchester United with my Dad and my brother to watch him play. But I learned things from him that I’ve added to my game,” explains Hourihane.
“Of course, the Cork link helped and we would have a laugh and a joke sometimes. I think he probably looked out for me a little more because of that. But you have to take on what he says and it’s the same with John because they have played at the highest level.”
With match tickets to arrange and set-pieces to organise, Hourihane may have his hands full most of the time, but that doesn’t stop him from having ambitions. He wants to reach the Premier League, or at least as high as he can go, although there is no rush.
So far, he has clocked up over 100 games for Plymouth since leaving Ipswich in 2011 and that experience puts him well ahead of most players his age. It is quite a remarkable feat actually and one that should really be highlighted more than it has been.
Hourihane, though, has no interest in the limelight. In his mind, there is work to be done and that’s all that matters. And tomorrow, that means dumping Port Vale out of the FA Cup and advancing to the next round.
Whether the Pilgrims’ ship gets that far or not, it shouldn’t affect the reputation of their young captain, who is surely destined to jump abroad a far bigger vessel in the coming years.
