Sheahan happy with return to Form

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With an assist in fellow striker Jimmy Keohane’s winning goal against Athlone Town, Garry Sheahan made it an assist and a goal in his last two games for Wexford Youths. Sheahan had scored a late, crucial winner away to Longford previous to Friday’s game and has been impressing fans and the press alike with his technique and work rate, not to mention his incredible pace.

The striker was in positive mood Wednesday evening before training as he talked about his time so far with the Ferrycarrig based side. ‘I joined the club there about three or four months ago actually but I was injured for the first couple of months just after coming from Limerick. At the end of November I picked up a bad groin injury so I just came back (to fitness) and started going about a month ago in the Mervue game.’

When asked about his role in setting up the winning goal and in the game in general Sheahan said how he ‘was delighted with it alright because I didn’t have a great night myself, (extratime.ie gave the player Man of the Match versus Athlone!) I worked hard alright but the touches weren’t going great. It was nice alright though to get the ball in for Jimmy, he’s a great little player and a great finisher. You take them for granted but he had a lot of work to do even when the ball got in there.’

Most of the crowd thought there was no way the striker should’ve got to that ball, a 50-50 with Rushe down the left that Sheahan sprinted to and made the cross despite the Town defender having a good start on him and Garry was modest in saying ‘Yeah, I was happy enough because they were tricky to get around at the back. If we had played more ball to on the ground Friday night I think we would’ve caused serious damage but unfortunately it didn’t happen for us. Hopefully now Friday night (Wexford went on to lose 2-0 against Limerick) we can get all those things working.’

‘Well if my touch was better Friday night I would’ve considered myself a bit of an all-rounder although that didn’t really happen for me. Speed though would be most natural attribute’ was the Limerick natives diplomatic reaction to being asked if he’d call himself a speed merchant or a target man style forward.

The side had seen keeper Packie Holden come off the worst after standing on a routine back pass and twisting his knee, forcing Sheahan’s strike partner Gavin Doyle to go in goals with no sub keeper on the bench and rookie Jummy Koeohane join him upfront. Garry was quick to refer to the difference in the squad helping them cope this season saying ‘That’s the thing, we have great strength in depth this season which is good like and is probably the difference and why we’re still contending in the Eircom League Division One. Hopefully now we can keep that up and get another result Friday night – we really need to keep beating the teams below us and work hard.’

Going on then to speak about Limerick and the importance of keeping their form going the Warrior centre forward commented how ‘We need to pull away from them and we need to be challenging in games with the likes of UCD, Shels and Sporting. Peter (White) and myself left Limerick the end of last season, we decided to make the move down. Its been coming for a while because Noel has been down there and we had gotten to know him as a coach and him us as players. I’m delighted, the facilities and the general treatment of the players is just unbelievable – you couldn’t ask for more as a player. Everything is perfect with the set up since I joined.’

With reference to the dropping attendances of late coming after the defeats to Shels and Waterford after the club had been the form team in the League for so many games a month ago Sheahan went on to say ‘That’ll improve, a win Friday and I think people will see us push on and we’ll get back up maybe 600 then onto the numbers we had earlier in the season and then for the bigger games we should definitely draw a bigger crowd. Hopefully now the Charlton game (a friendly to be played at Ferrycarrig Park this Sunday with a 7 o’clock start) will attract a bit of a crowd and they will see what we’re all about and we’ll maybe pick up a bigger crowd for the next home game.’

Overall, the newcomer to the Youths and Mick Wallace’s project showed he is delighted with his role and his return to fitness and form after so long out. ‘Since coming back, the fitness is there now but I’m just working on the technique and trying to get firing. The most important thing then for me is to get my shooting boots on. I’ve a goal and an assist for the last two games but only two goals in all for the season which is not good enough so I have to be pushing on. You have to ask more of yourself and be looking to score goals every week and that’s what I’m looking to do’ said Sheahan in signing off to go train, a comment that will have manager Mick Wallace smiling as one of his new recruits shows great signs on and off the pitch of settling into the team.