Hibs’ Paul McGinn says he always knew Martin Boyle would have a great career

Predicting how a player might fare after being allowed to leave a club is not an exact science. As Dundee know to their cost. Paul McGinn could have warned them.

Paul McGinn takes time out from training to preview Hibs' Edinburgh derby clash with Hearts. Picture: Bill Murray/SNS

The full-back has been reunited with Martin Boyle on the right flank at Hibs. The pair played together at Dens Park for half a season and McGinn always suspected the explosive winger would go on to greater things. Boyle was being redeployed as a wide player at the time after catching scouts’ attention as a central striker at Montrose. Dundee did not have the patience to see the project through and Hibs are the ones reaping the benefit instead.

McGinn was surprised when Boyle was released by Dundee manager Paul Hartley at the end of the 2014-15 season following an initial loan spell at Easter Road. Neil Lennon had the good sense to snap him up on a permanent deal and he has gone from strength to strength since then.

“At the time Alex Harris came the other way and he was a good, young player as well,” he recalled. “No-one was really sure who would get the best of the deal. Luckily for Hibs, Boyley has really kicked on.

“It’s one of those, with hindsight Dundee would not have let it happen so easily. Full credit to him. If you’re not playing consistently at Dundee it might have been hard to come to Hibs and do so well.

“I can’t say I am that surprised,” he added. “He is 100 miles an hour off the pitch, never mind on it. So he was never going to lie down and not have a good career.”

Boyle is now a fully-fledged Australia international with an eye on this summer’s Copa America in Colombia and Argentina. A more pressing engagement is tonight’s Edinburgh derby at Easter Road. Boyle was the matchwinner the last time the teams met when scoring twice in Hibs’ 2-0 win on Boxing Day. He has been an integral reason for Jack Ross’ side’s recent good form and was the star performer in Friday’s 5-2 Scottish Cup win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He was also harshly booked for simulation after trying to round Inverness goalkeeper Mark Ridgers.

McGinn, who only signed for Hibs from St Mirren in January, knows what it is like to play against Boyle as well as alongside him.

“He’s got that ability that James Forrest has where, even if he has a bad touch that lures you in, he’s so quick that he’s away by you with his next one,” he said.

“It’s a great quality to have. To know even if you have that bad one you still have the pace to recover, and it almost sticks to him once he gets going. He said he took a few whacks the other night. He keeps going on about how he should have had a stonewall penalty as well.

“That’s just the way he is, he doesn’t roll about, you never see him really go down.

“I was a bit worried when he did and stayed down early but he’s fine. That’s just the way he is, he’ll keep getting up and going at you again.

“He scored in the last game at Tynecastle,” added McGinn. “I can’t remember where I watched it but I remember messaging him afterwards. He can finish as well and hopefully he brings his finishing boots with him tomorrow.”

McGinn is relishing the prospect of sampling his first Edinburgh derby after watching his brother John star in the fixture on several occasions before the midfielder’s big-money move to Aston Villa. He is expecting a good luck call today from his younger sibling, who is currently injured and so missed his side’s narrow Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City at the weekend.

“I would not say any in particular stand out but obviously when John was here they had a lot of good home results,” he said. “I remember Sunshine on Leith at the end being pretty special.”

His own experiences of playing in derbies include several clashes on the same street in Dundee. McGinn joined Dundee from Dumbarton after the Dens Park side secured promotion in 2014. It was hard going at first against United, with Dundee suffering a 6-2 defeat on New Year’s Day in 2015 – Boyle’s last game for the club before joining Hibs on loan. The Dens Park side got their revenge the following season when they put the final nail in United’s top-flight coffin with a 2-1 win.

While there are certain similarities tonight – Hearts are bottom of the league, for example – the home team can only worsen their rivals’ plight rather than condemn them. Hearts are currently two points adrift of 11th-placed Hamilton Accies, and six behind St Mirren in tenth.

“That was the official game when they went down,” recalled McGinn of a night that became known among Dundee fans as the Doon Derby. “There’s still plenty of time for Hearts to get themselves out of it so there are no comparisons.

“They’ll be buoyant following Saturday’s result and it could be difficult,” he added, with reference to Hearts’ surprise 1-0 Scottish Cup win over Rangers. “Also, in the Dundee derby you walked to the stadium – I don’t think Hearts would be allowed to walk into Easter Road quite the same way!”