Sky Sports exclusive: Gavan Holohan on returning to Ireland in order to make it in the EFL, promotion with Hartlepool and holding his own in Sky Bet League Two.
Friday 8 October 2021 14:42, UK
Given that so many players had crossed the Irish Sea and tasted success before him, when Gavan Holohan swapped hometown club Kilkenny City for Hull in 2008, he would have been forgiven for starting to dream he could be the next.
Things did not work out that way, though.
At 20 years old, he instead joined the sizeable annual list of players released by EFL clubs after being told by the Tigers that he was surplus to requirements and a spell with non-League Alfreton Town preceded a return to the Republic of Ireland.
But all was not lost. Back home, over the next five years, he turned out for Drogheda United, Cork City - with whom he won the FAI Cup in 2016 - Galway United and Waterford and built a reputation for himself with just one end goal in mind.
"The ambition was always to get back over and play in the Football League. Unfortunately, I just had to take a longer route in doing it," he tells Sky Sports.
"I didn't really have any first-team experience when I left Hull, so I needed to go home and get that and get games under my belt in the League of Ireland, which is a tough league. That was the thinking behind that.
"In the back of my mind, it was always something that I wanted to have a crack at again, getting back across the water and into the Football League.
"When you have knockbacks in your career, I think you can use them to your advantage. I suppose they can make or break people. In my case, I think it's just made me a bit stronger and a bit more mentally tough, a bit more determined and to prove a few people wrong as well.
"That's a massive part of it, and like I feel like I'm continuing to do that. It's good that it has materialised this way."
In early 2019, Holohan was given another chance on the east coast. This time, however, it was more than 100 miles further up the coastline with Hartlepool, who were in the midst of their second season out of the EFL after a 96-year stay.
A debut goal and seven impressive appearances saw the Irishman earn a deal beyond the end of the season and the midfielder continued to be a shining light throughout the following two campaigns, with 17 goals in 68 games.
And in June, he played a key role as Dave Challinor's men returned to the fourth tier after a shootout victory over Torquay in the National League play-off final at Ashton Gate. The magnitude of the promotion has not been lost on the 29-year-old.
"I think everyone knows how tough the National League is and to get out of it, with their only one team going up automatic and then the second team goes through the play-offs," he says.
"It's an absolutely relentless league and there's always going to be expectations at a big club like Hartlepool, especially playing at that level. I think the club were lingering at that level for a bit too long and to be part of a squad that helped the club get back in the Football League is pretty special."
Late on in the summer transfer window, clubs including Dundee United, Shrewsbury and Wrexham were linked reported to be attempting to prise Holohan away from Victoria Park.
Yet what some might have deemed attractive opportunities were spurned in favour of a deeper connection that goes well beyond just football.
"There was a bit of interest but it would have been really difficult to leave. It would have been very difficult because I have found a second home at Hartlepool. It's the most enjoyable time in my career.
"I love working with everyone involved in the club and have a good rapport with the supporters as well. I just hope that I can keep producing for the club and helping the club have as much success as possible going forward."
Challinor's men have settled into life in League Two well and have rarely been seen out of the top seven since an opening-day win over Crawley. The contrast in their home form and the form on the road could not be starker, though; ahead of Saturday's visit of Northampton, the Pools have won four and drawn one at home and lost four and drawn one away.
An untimely injury has, unfortunately, kept him out of action for the past month, but it remains evident that Holohan feels he made the correct decision to stay.
"We lost a lot of key players in the summer, but having said that, the players we brought in have been brilliant and settled in really well. We got that first win early doors in the first game of the season and that was always important.
"You get that monkey off the back, and once you do that then you can build on that bit of confidence. We've got a good group and a good squad that's more than capable of doing well in this league. I'm absolutely loving it and I feel like I can more than hold my own at this level.
"A lot of expectation comes with the club. We had that last season in regards to the expectation and pressure to get the club back into Football League, and we've also managed to do that. The next step after that was making sure that we give a good account of ourselves and hold our own.
"You've got to make sure that your home form is decent and we've made the Vic a bit of a fortress now. We always have the fans right behind us and you know they make a brilliant atmosphere for any opposition team.
"It's a difficult place to come. It's really important to have that whole form; the away form we probably need to improve on a bit, but having the home form as good as it is, that's a good building block."
