Oran Kearney: I'm only just getting started at St Mirren

ST MIRREN boss Oran Kearney has rubbished claims he’s under pressure. 

It took a three goal second half turnaround for ten man Saints to beat Alloa in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on Saturday. 

There was talk at half time that a defeat could have been the beginning of the end for the Northern Irishman with Alloa boss Jim Goodwin touted for the role. 

But Kearney insists his career with the Buddies has only just begun. 

He said: "Personally I feel my career here has only just started if I’m brutally honest.

READ MORE: St Mirren 3-2 Alloa: Saints fight back from the abyss

"When I came in and what I’ve had to deal with in the last few months,I feel as if my career has only started in the last few weeks.

"I know there were bits and pieces said at half time in the media, but I deal with Tony (Fitzpatrick) and the chairman and we’re all on the same page in relation to what it takes.

"We know what we’ve had to do to this point and where we need to go. I’m very comfortable at this point with where it’s at.

"It’s been a test, but one I’ve loved for every minute of it. It’s tough but professionally it’s been brilliant to have to come in and do what we’ve done.

"People might have doubted we’d have been able to turn it around in relation to the number.

Kyle McAllister enjoyed a dream second debut as he scored the winner 

"Moving players on can be the hardest thing, but to move people on to let us freshen it up has been brilliant."

The Paisley outfit travel to Parkhead to face Celtic tonight and Kearney says he will draw on the experience of his first game in charge, the 0-0 draw in September, for inspiration.

He continued: "We set our stall out to be hard to beat and get a bit of pride back into the place and give people something to shout about.

"But that game seems an eternity ago now.

"Our performance that night warranted the point we got and we will need something similar.

"Away to Celtic we need all our guys to be on it and them to be slightly off it."

Kearney has also been keen to add to his six signings so far and still hopes to do so. 

But he also shared his frustration at not being able to close out a deal for Blackpool's Ryan McLaughlin after Rochdale swooped in.

He added: "We have a couple waiting and we’re in the hands of other clubs waiting on injuries clearing up.

"We had a player (McLaughlin) signed last night who headed up to Glasgow who has since been subject of a firm bid from another club.

Kearney revealed Saints have missed out on a deal for Northern Ireland international Ryan McLaughlin 

"I spoke to him yesterday, the paperwork was all done and dusted and we were waiting on international clearance.

READ MORE: Cole Kpekawa departs as St Mirren exodus continues

"He then drove up, we had the hotel booked and he got a call to say we’ve had a bid to go on a permanent instead of loan so he had to turn the car around and drive back to Blackpool.

"It’s dead - that’s a fair enough assumption!"