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Preston striker Sean Maguire can’t wait to take on Luton Town in the Championship this weekend.
The Republic of Ireland international scored his fourth league goal of the season in Preston’s 2-1 win over Fulham earlier this week.
After being teed up by Ireland teammate Alan Browne, Maguire spun in the box and fired a low strike into the net to score Preston’s first goal in five matches.
Preston had the numerical advantage after Fulham’s Denis Odoi was sent off in the 28th minute. However, Irish defender Joe Rafferty saw red on the stroke of half time for a reckless challenge on Joe Bryan.
David Nugent doubled Preston’s lead in the second half, before Aleksandar Mitrović pulled one back for the visitors.
Preston’s win over Fulham arrested promotion-chasing Preston’s recent slump, with Alex Neil’s side sixth in the Championship table. The club – who had lost four league games in a row before the win against the Londoners – will now be looking to regain their momentum when they host struggling Luton at Deepdale on Saturday.
For former Cork City striker Maguire, who scored his first international goal in Ireland’s friendly win over New Zealand, facing the Hatters will have special meaning.
“Many people don’t perhaps know that I was born in Luton; I lived there for a couple of months before I moved back to Ireland,” the 25-year-old told the Preston website.
“I still have a good number of family in Luton – aunties, uncles and my nan still lives in Luton and she is actually coming up to the game on Saturday for the first time in a long time to see me, so it will be a special moment for me and for my family to see me.
“I have a lot of family coming over from Ireland as well, as my Mam was born in Luton too and it will be a special occasion for myself.
“Growing up I went to a lot of Luton games, I saw them play numerous times and it won’t be the first time I have come up against them, I played down at Kenilworth Road when I was at Accrington.”
Maguire has added five assists to his tally of four goals for Preston this season as Neil’s men chase promotion to the Premier League. Why not bet on the Kentucky Derby
Maguire is joined by Irish contingent Browne, Rafferty, Kevin O’Connor and Adam O’Reilly at Deepdale.
Words David Smith
