I have been playing soccer from a very young age and have I’ve gathered a lot of knowledge and experience in that time. Even though I have been involved in soccer since the age of 5 I am still constantly learning new things about the game. I think this one of the great things about this sport and sport in general. It is a lifelong lesson in ways.
I started out playing in the back yard of the house against my brother and father and it was there where I developed a great enjoyment for the game. There were a lot of arguments and fights about football involving my older brother although I think this is what helped us become more skilled and ultimately were the beginnings of a lifelong activity. I began playing soccer for my local club St. Catherine’s in Donegal at the age of 6 where I was introduced to a more competitive environment. Playing against different players with different strengths and different skills offered a more challenging environment.
After playing for St. Catherines for a several years I was offered the chance to go and represent my county at a national tournament. This was a great honour and also presented me with a chance to further my footballing ability and experience. I played against some of the best players in the country in my age group so it gave me an insight into what was needed to win against the best players. I did this for several years representing my county at numerous tournaments up until the age of 18.
After this I signed for an u19 League of Ireland team called Sligo Rovers. This was a team made up of some excellent players and again offered me an opportunity to pit my abilities against the best u19 teams in the country. During my time at Sligo we won the u19 Airtricity Northern League which was a fantastic achievement.
Following my time at Sligo I decided to sign for a club in Galway City called Salthill Devon and this was my first time playing for a senior League of Ireland club in the 1st Division. I had a great time playing for Salthill Devon and I learned an enormous amount about playing football for a semi-professional team. We trained 3 times every week and had a game at the weekend.
As I said before playing football is a lifelong lesson and it is something that I enjoy immensely and I look forward to having a part in football for the rest of my life.
By Shane