Photos by Matthew Lynsaght and She_Shoots_Sports/Susan Maxwell
After Shelbourne became champions of Ireland for the fourteenth time, I had the pleasure of speaking to Reds goalkeeper Conor Kearns…
Toward the end of the season did doubt ever creep in to the squad?
C.K: “No. We never stopped believing. Of course the season had rocky moments, but so did every team. The main thing for us at the end of each week was to improve performances and remain top of the league. We always felt if it was in our hands going in to those last 4/5 games that we would be able to get over the line and thankfully we did that. The manager made sure we were fully focused on each task at hand without mounting too much pressure on us and it paid dividends for the run in”
What was the experience like for you in the Brandywell?
C.K: “The manager was very honest in his approach, at half time he told us we would have to score if we wanted to be champions as Rovers were winning, but that he knew we could do it. We always knew Rovers would win, that’s why they’ve been champions for 4 years in a row. I always felt we would get a chance, and the we had the quality on the pitch to get a goal. The only moment of nerves came when I asked the linesman what was left and he told me 9 minutes, thankfully, 90 seconds later we got a free kick and the rest is history.”
Premier Division champion, how does that feel?
C.K: “There are so many emotions, joy, pride, relief, you name it. Ultimately it’s a great feeling to know that the hours on the training pitch, the never say die attitude and the togetherness the group showed throughout the last couple of seasons has given us the ultimate reward with a league title. It was a long slog of a season for sure, but we always felt we were built for that.”
How did it feel to return to Tolka Park?
C.K: “It was an amazing day and an amazing feeling. It was nice to have that day among the supporters after the chaos to share the moment and the achievement together. The people at Shelbourne FC, not just the players, deserved this, and deserved the day to celebrate this club and what it achieved.”
Did Duffer ever get that call from Mourinho?
C.K: “No! Mourinho never picked up as far as I know. That being said, we were all happy to get the money in the fines kitty for the next day anyways!”
Thanks to Conor Kearns for the interview and we wish you the best with your future and thanks to everyone for reading.