Former Saints and Ireland midfielder Keith Fahey returns to amateur football

Former Republic of Ireland international has made a return to amateur football with Leinster Senior League side Bluebell United after hanging up his professional boots 12 months ago.

 

The former St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers midfielder was previously on the books at the Bell for a few weeks in 2003 before earning his first deal with the Saints.

 

More recently, Fahey has been working alongside his former Pats and Rovers teammate Sean O'Connor as part of Martin Loughran's background team at Crumlin United.

 

He trained with Senior Sunday side Bluebell during pre-season and made his first competitive appearance in Sunday's 3-0 win over Sheriff YC in the FAI Cup.

 

 



The 34-year-old earned 16 caps under Giovanni Trapattoni and was part of the side that qualified for Euro 2012 but his international career was cut short by an injury sustained on the eve of the tournament.

 

Fahey played schoolboy football with Cherry Orchard before signing for Arsenal as a trainee aged 15. He spent four years in England with the Gunners and Aston Villa but failed to settle and returned home.

 

After a short spell with Bluebell, he signed in 2003 ahead of the first season of summer football and helped the club to a league cup title and FAI Cup final in his first season.

 



Fahey had an unhappy spell with Drogheda United before returning to Pats, where he played his best football as Johnny McDonnell's side advanced several rounds in European football.

 

His performances in a 2-0 aggregate defeat to Hertha Berlin were enough to earn the midfielder a move to English Championship side Birmingham City, whom he helped to promotion in his first season.

 

He won a League Cup title in Birmingham in 2011 but parted company with the Blues following a prolonged spell with injury in 2013 and joined Pats once again.

 

After a year in Inchicore, Fahey returned to his hometown of Tallaght in 2015 with Shamrock Rovers but his troublesome knee flared up against and he announced his retirement midway through the season.

 

Blubell United face Cabinteely at home in the second round of the FAI Cup, due to be played in the final week of August.

    About Dave Donnelly

    Drogheda is in Meath. View Full Profile