The Game
Argyle v Barnsley. Home Park. Saturday, 2 August. 3pm. Sky Bet League One.
The Opposition
After play-off heartbreak in the previous two seasons, the 2024/25 campaign was an opportunity for the Tykes to go one further. Under Darrell Clarke, Barnsley had a strong start to the season despite losing on the opening day against newly-promoted Mansfield Town.
Just three defeats in the opening 16 games saw Barnsley become early promotion candidates. Results slipped just before Christmas, with four defeats in six games, but Clarke was able to steer the ship back on course with four straight wins.
However, once again, things took a turn for the worse. The Tykes lost seven times in two months, leading to the dismissal of Clarke and the interim appointment of Conor Hourihane. Despite winning just one of his six games in charge, the 34-year-old was appointed permanently just before the end of the season. Barnsley went on to finish 12th and will be looking to build on this and push for the playoffs under Hourihane in 2025/26.
The Gaffer
Conor Hourihane is the latest head coach of League One outfit Barnsley, having signed a two-year deal towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign. The former Pilgrim played throughout England’s top four tiers, with spells at Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Argyle, Barnsley, Aston Villa, Swansea City, Sheffield United, and Derby County.
In his time at Home Park, Hourihane featured 142 times across three seasons for the Greens, scoring 16 goals and becoming a fan favourite among supporters. The Irishman was capped 36 times by his country, scoring one goal, against Georgia, in 2019.
Hourihane returned to Barnsley ahead of last season as a player/coach, but retired in December to focus on assisting manager Darrell Clarke. After Clarke’s dismissal in March of this year, the 34-year-old had a probationary period as interim head coach, before landing the full-time gig at Oakwell two months later. Hourihane, the division’s youngest head-coach, will be looking to return Barnsley to the second tier after their 12th-place finish last term.
The Squad
Last season’s top scorer, Davis Keillor-Dunn (below) is entering his second season at Oakwell. The forward started his career in Scotland with Ross County, having a loan spell at Falkirk before a permanent move to Wrexham. After just eight months in Wales, Keillor-Dunn signed for Oldham Athletic where he scored 28 times in 105 games. Fruitful spells followed at Burton Albion and Mansfield Town before a big-money move to Barnsley last summer. In his first season with the Tykes, the 27-year-old notched 18 times.
French centre-back Mael de Gevigney played for semi-professional sides Feucherolles, AS Meudon, Drancy, and Versailles as a youngster. The latter was where he received his first taste of senior football, featuring in a side that achieved promotion into the French fourth tier. Nimes signed the defender professionally in June 2022, and de Gevigney spent a season with the Ligue 2 side. Barnsley brought him in during August 2023, paying an undisclosed fee to take the Frenchman to Oakwell on a three-year deal.
Veteran goalscorer David McGoldrick signed for Barnsley this summer. He began his career at Notts County, having come through the club’s academy. Permanent spells followed at Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United, and Derby County. Ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, the Irishman returned to Notts County, scoring 30 times across the two seasons that followed. After failing to agree a new deal at Meadow Lane, the 37-year-old arrived at Barnsley this summer to add some firepower and experience to their frontline.
Previous Meetings
Three years ago, Argyle began their season at home to Barnsley, and won the game thanks to the only goal of the match, scored by Finn Azaz. Later that season, the Tykes earned a modicum of revenge, comfortably winning 3-0, with strikes from Adam Phillips, Mads Andersen and Nicky Cadden.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin with Argyle Breakfast at 10am, hosted by Erin Black and Aaron Cusack. Erin will return, alongside Brian McGlinchey, for the Pre-Match Show, which starts at midday. Aaron will then be on co-commentary, alongside Rob McNichol, when the game gets under way.
Match passes to watch this game are available for all territories outside the UK & Ireland. Click here to get yours.
Sky Sports
The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports+.
