Byrning Ambition
Sunday, 6th Aug 2017Former Pars midfielder deeply disappointed not to pull off a victory
On Saturday Shaun Byrne faced Dunfermline, the club he joined at U15 level and went on to make 115 appearances for. The 24 year old claimed that it did feel a little strange playing against the black and white.
"Once the game got going it was just ninety minutes and two teams trying to win a game."
Livingston had topped their group in the Betfred Cup and went into the Championship opener full of confidence. Shaun said that his club were not setting any unachievable targets:-
"It is all about us consolidating our place in this league after coming up. We made a good start and we will just keep kicking on."
The match was only 23 seconds old when Pars keeper Sean Murdoch had to pull off his first save and the hosts opened the scoring at the half hour mark. Shaun believed that Livingston were by far the better team in the first half:-
"To be fair to Dunfermline they did come out at the start of the second half and put us under a lot of pressure. Even nearer the end as well I thought that we came on strong again and probably could have won it.
"It feels like a defeat, everyone in the changing room is absolutely gutted but if you had offered us a point at the start of the game we would have taken it."
Shaun joined Livingston in June 2016 and made 39 appearances in their title winning season in League One. He commented:-
"I think the step up will suit me. There will be a lot more football, every game is going to be competitive and we are going to have to work for every single point this season."
Regularity of games was the major attraction in joining Livingston and it was really the first time that he played a full season though it transpired in a slightly different position:-
"It helps when you are playing every week and I got more confident. I dropped back into a defensive midfielder role, I have kept playing there and have enjoyed playing there. It is a different role and good when you play both defensive and attacking."
Shaun feels that he needed the change that leaving East End Park produced:-
"I was training Monday to Friday and not playing on a Saturday. I wasn`t enjoying it by the last three months of the season. It has been a breath of fresh air coming here. There are a lots of good boys and it is a good changing room."
The style of football in the Championship is likely to benefit Shaun`s game too and even the venues will be a welcome change:-
"When you go to away grounds they can be tighter pitches and there is not much football getting played. It has been the side of my game that I have improved over the last season - doing the dirty side better."
The player who set off on his route to a professional career at Kennoway before joining Celtic at U11 level, would be content to see Livingston finish eighth in their first season back:-
"There are a lot better players in the Championship and a lot of good teams. We have not set any targets for play offs."
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