Hibs boss backs Roy O’Donovan to score more

Pat FENLON has backed Roy O’Donovan to get among the goals after watching the Irish star claim his first for Hibs with a wonder strike against Kilmarnock.

O’Donovan’s spectacular effort helped the Easter Road outfit to a vital 3-1 win in their bid to haul themselves clear of the threat of relegation, the victory opening up a three-point gap on basement outfit Dunfermline.

And now Hibs boss Fenlon believes the 26-year-old, signed on loan from English Championship side Coventry City until the end of the season, will have plenty to celebrate in the coming weeks.

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He said: “I was delighted for Roy. It hasn’t gone brilliantly for him in the last few months at Coventry but I know him well. He is an honest player, willing to graft and with a tremendous work-rate but he also has real ability as well.

“He scores all types of goals.”

O’Donovan became the fourth Hibs player to claim his first goal for the club in the space of a few days, Isaiah Osbourne and Matt Doherty netting in the 4-3 defeat by Motherwell, while he was joined on the scoresheet at Rugby Park by Tom Soares.

Now Fenlon hopes that will help take the weight off the shoulders of hitmen Garry O’Connor and Leigh Griffiths. He said: “If Garry or Leigh are not scoring then we have to get them from other areas. To have three different players score at Fir Park and then two more against Kilmarnock is good news.”