Andy Boyle

[DannyInvincible]

Boyle played the full 90 minutes for Preston tonight away to Derby. The game ended 1-1 with Preston conceding in the 50th minute before equalising in the last minute.

Dave Seddon of the Lancashire Evening Post tweeted about Boyle's performance: "Impressed with Andy Boyle on his PNE debut, didn't put a foot wrong."

A Preston season-ticket holder tweeted further praise in response to that: "thought he played very well and looked settled and solid, should play him a lot more."

Seems he did very well then. 26th birthday today too.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Preston fans very pleased with him to a man.

[ArFella]

Boyle played the full 90 minutes for Preston tonight away to Derby. The game ended 1-1 with Preston conceding in the last minute.

Dave Seddon of the Lancashire Evening Post tweeted about Boyle's performance: "Impressed with Andy Boyle on his PNE debut, didn't put a foot wrong."

A Preston season-ticket holder tweeted further praise in response to that: "thought he played very well and looked settled and solid, should play him a lot more."

Seems he did very well then. 26th birthday today too.

Preston scored a last minute equaliser, they conceded in the 50th minute.

Great to see Boyler finally get his debut, he has been patient. Would love to see him get a good run in the team, I think he is going to be a really good CB for Ireland in the future.

[DeLorean]

I think he is going to be a really good CB for Ireland in the future.

Interesting. With Duffy (25) and Clark (27) our first choice pairing at the moment he has a lot of work to do. Both of those are likely to be Premier League players next year too, hopefully they can keep their places at their clubs if and when that happens. He won't have to worry about O'Shea for much longer and Keogh is in his thirties now also but will obviously be around for a while yet. Then you've got serial squad members like Pearce (28) and McShane (31) and other prospects like Egan (24) and Hoban (23).

I'm probably forgetting a couple as well so Boyle has his work cut out in that regard, but that was a big step for him last night.

[DannyInvincible]

RTÉ write-up on Boyle's "composed" debut: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/...preston-debut/

Andy Boyle had a birthday to remember as he made his Preston North End debut in the 1-1 draw with Derby County, and was singled out for praise post-match by manager Simon Grayson.

Tom Barkhuizen's 95th-minute goal ensured the Lilywhites left with a point and sit in ninth place, nine points outside the play-off positions.

For former Dundalk player Boyle, it was a special night on his 26th birthday as he was selected at the heart of the defence, with Greg Cunningham and Aiden McGeady also starting at Pride Park.

His former Dundalk team-mate Daryl Horgan was introduced as a substitute in a strong Irish contingent on the night.

While Horgan has caught the eye since the pair moved earlier this season to Deepdale, Boyle has had to bide his time.

“I've waited a while but I can't have any complaints as the lads have been doing really well and it's difficult to get into the team," Boyle told the club website.

"I found out an hour and a half before kick-off so it was a late enough one but we'd done plenty of work in preparation in our shape and things like that.

"You have to be ready for these types of occasions when they're brought upon you."

Grayson said the Irishman deserved his opportunity and grasped it with both hands.

"He’s taken his opportunity and he should be a very proud lad"
“I was really pleased with him,” he told the Lancashire Evening Post. “The lad’s waited patiently and everyone saw what a composed centre half he is.

“He defends when he needs to defend and he can handle the ball as well. He’s a modern centre back. He’s taken his opportunity and he should be a very proud lad.”

Boyle admitted he was happy with how he performed on the night, slotting into the back four alongside Paul Huntington.

"I've been looking forward to this moment since I signed," he said.

"I thought I did okay - It would have been nice to keep a clean sheet but a point is the main thing and that keeps us going."

...

Preston remain unlikely to reach the play-offs though, and a draw won't have been the best result for them in that regard. They have ten games still to play.

Preston scored a last minute equaliser, they conceded in the 50th minute.

Yup, total error on my part and I've corrected it now. Sorry about that and cheers for the correction. Having not seen the game (I hadn't been following updates it in real time either), I somehow completely misread the post-match info on LiveScore.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Praised for his assist for Preston's third.

[CraftyToePoke]

Flicked on a Horgan free kick they say ?

[DannyInvincible]

The Lancashire Evening Post's Preston North End reporter Dave Seddon gives his verdict to Balls.ie on Andy Boyle's start at Deepdale: https://www.balls.ie/football/greg-cunningham-361132

While Horgan made his debut against Arsenal in the FA Cup within a week of being eligible, his ex-Dundalk teammate Andy Boyle has had to wait a while longer for his debut: against Derby County a week ago. He was singled out for praise by Simon Grayson post-game, a disposition shared by Seddon:

"Boyle has come in and played the last two games. Simon Grayson was reluctant to break up his centre-back partnership, but he's played the last two games. He always said it is easier to throw in a winger, rather than a defender. If Boyle had come in and made a ricket, it could have knocked his confidence, so the manager was just waiting for the right moment. He came in against Derby and was outstanding; I gave him the Man of the Match award in the paper. He kept his place the following week against Reading, and helped to clean sheet against a side in the playoffs.

He's a good player; good on the floor. He's good in the air too... just a good, solid centre-half."

[gastric]

Certainly a talent, but quite raw too. Got booked for an agricultural tackle against Reading. Reading were at sixes and sevens in this game, it will be good to watch him against better forward lines.

[nigel-harps1954]

Certainly a talent, but quite raw too. Got booked for an agricultural tackle against Reading. Reading were at sixes and sevens in this game, it will be good to watch him against better forward lines.

Like BATE, AZ Alkmaar and Zenit? I think he fared okay to be honest

[gastric]

[QUOTE=nigel-harps1954;1911534]Like BATE, AZ Alkmaar and Zenit? I think he fared okay to be honest [/QUOTE A bit pedantic Nigel, playing consistently against good forwards will certainly challenge him and help his development.

[nigel-harps1954]

A bit pedantic Nigel, playing consistently against good forwards will certainly challenge him and help his development.

[DannyInvincible]

Like BATE, AZ Alkmaar and Zenit? I think he fared okay to be honest

Unfortunately for Dundalk, of the back pair, it was Gartland who tended to have a costly mistake or two up his sleeve. Boyle never looked out-of-place.

[gastric]

[DannyInvincible]

Starts for Preston against Villa tonight.