‘If you go through a couple of rounds, you can get a deposit for your house'
There's an honesty about Seán Boyd that always makes him an engaging interview.
In the aftermath of Shelbourne's victory over Linfield on Wednesday night, he recognised the importance of what progress can mean to players from a personal perspective.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Rory Gaffney reveals pay cut sacrifice behind Shamrock Rovers comeback heroics
Gaffney's honesty and grit have Stephen Bradley hailing his talisman's return to form, as Rovers book a Conference League play-off clash with Santa Clara SHAMROCK ROVERS hero Rory Gaffney shrugs when asked about taking a pay cut this season. He said: 'I don't know, no other choice! It's just the nature of the beast, isn't it? You've been out for a year, you haven't played. You know, you can't expect to be on the same contract.' 2 Rory Gaffney of Shamrock Rovers has been in sparkling form for Stephen Bradley's side 2 The veteran Shamrock Rovers star had to take a pay cut to remain with the Hoops this season Advertisement But 12 goals this year - including two on Thursday night for The Hoops to set up a Conference League play-off date with Santa Clara - mean there might be an improved deal next year. Boss Stephen Bradley admitted the 35-year-old striker will be negotiating from a position of strength too with the form he has shown in what is a comeback year. An ankle injury suffered in April last year ended his 2024 season and Bradley admitted it was only natural to wonder would he ever be back. He said: 'When you're hitting your mid-30s and you have the injuries he's had, of course there's a little bit of doubt. Advertisement 'But I also know Rory, I trust him and the conversations are very honest. 'I'm willing to come back, I'm willing to take a pay cut. If I'm injured, I'll walk away.' 'There's always that bit of doubt, there has to be at his age. But Rory is so matter-of-fact. If he tells you something, you believe him. And he's not saying it just to bulls**t you.' Still, there are few people who would be comfortable going unpaid to prove themselves again. But Gaffney is as matter-of-fact about it all as Bradley claims. He said: 'We were paid up until the end of December, and I was back training. I was back training… Advertisement 'When did we go back? Second week of January. So I kind of knew (he would earn a contract). 'I got a bit of the European money (for 2024) as well, so I didn't do too badly! Considering I didn't play.' Liverpool fans pay touching tribute to Diogo Jota in first Premier League match since star's tragic death The Tuam man was also all-in on his rehab. Over the past number of years, Gaffney - a business graduate - had begun thinking of life after football and worked part-time for BDO. But there was no time as he built-up fitness. And it ensured that after getting an operation at the start of November, he returned to pre-season sure he would be okay. Advertisement He said: 'There was a tear in my Achilles. I had plenty of time to, I suppose, let it settle down, to get surgery, to go in and tidy up a few things. 'At the start of the season, it probably took me a good while to get back to match fitness which is to be expected when you've basically taken a year off.' And his new deal was waiting to be signed as soon as he played his first game in nine months in mid-February - an Under-20 friendly against Bohemians. Gaffney added: 'The Achilles, the only issue I had was, last year I couldn't sprint. 'I could sprint, and I'd get a massive flare-up. I could jog, I could stride, I could do loads of things, but I mean, like, properly sprinted, it used to just flare-up. Advertisement 'I knew it was okay when back in training (in January), straight away. I was obviously training, but there's a big difference between training and matches. 'And I did a couple of weeks training, and the manager said, I just need to see you play in a game. 'I played against the Bohs 20s, played a half, just ran around like a lunatic, trying to get the GPS stats up as much as possible, to show that I could run. 'I didn't touch the ball! But he said he'd seen enough. 'I suppose people have asked me in the past, oh, great to be able to play at 35, but if you look at the league 10 years ago, there's not many 35-year-olds that would be able to do it. Advertisement 'I have two kids at home. Obviously, bills to pay and all that. Back in the day, there were lads in my situation who might be on, what, 36-week contracts. 'So it was a young man's game, wasn't it? And lads probably had to go off and get jobs. They probably wanted to keep playing, but the contracts weren't there. 'But off the back, I suppose, the club's success last year with the money they earned, they were in a position to offer me something.' EURO TRIP He signed on February 16 and Gaffney was in league action by February 28. By early April, he was starting and scoring and has been a key man through the summer. That continued on Thursday night with the opening two goals in a 4-0 route of Ballkani to see Rovers through to the Conference League play-off round. Advertisement And both his goals came just after Ballkani defender Arber Potoku decided to get in his face to try and goad him after the Kosovan had got back to block one of his shots. It backfired spectacularly as Gaffney gave it back after his opening goal. Gaffney said: 'He's made a great tackle. And then he spent the next couple of minutes shouting in my ear and standing on my feet and everything. 'So I just obviously got the goal and I thought, where is he? Just have a quick, have a quick word on him. That was it, so it was nothing malicious really. 'I suppose he's trying to get a reaction out of me and I said, no point in losing the head here. You have to focus.'
Irish Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shamrock Rovers hero was prepared to 'call it a day' as he faced injury woe
Rory Gaffney has admitted that he had no choice but to take a pay-cut to land a new contract at Shamrock Rovers. The 35-year-old striker knew there was a chance that he would struggle to return to full fitness after ankle and achilles injuries restricted him to just eight Premier Division appearances last season. But he was desperate to secure at least one more year with the Tallaght Stadium side and have another crack at European football and league glory. Manager Stephen Bradley revealed after Gaffney's heroics in Thursday's Europa Conference League win over Ballkani that the Tuam native took a reduction in pay to stay on at Rovers. When it was put to Gaffney that such commitment was unusual in the modern game, he replied: 'I don't know, no other choice! 'It's just the nature of the beast, isn't it? You've been out for a year, you haven't played. You know, you can't expect to be on the same contract.' He admitted that not so long ago, he might have been forced out of the game with age and injury going against him. 'People have asked me in the past, oh, great to be able to play at 35, but if you look at the league 10 years ago, there's not many 35-year-olds that would be able to do it,' he said. 'I have two kids at home. Obviously, bills to pay and all that. Back in the day, there were lads in my situation who might be on, what, 36-week contracts. 'So it was a young man's game, wasn't it? And lads probably had to go off and get jobs. They probably wanted to keep playing, but the contracts weren't there. 'But off the back, I suppose, of the club's success last year with the money they earned, they were in a position to offer me something.' Gaffney missed out on last year's record-breaking league phase campaign because of his injury woes - and it wasn't easy watching his teammates play huge games against teams such as Rapid Vienna and Chelsea. Thanks to his heroics in Europe so far this year, he is just one tie away from the Conference League proper. 'It was just frustrating,' he said, of watching from the sidelines last year, 'but I suppose the lads were doing well. 'Johnny Kenny did well off the back of it, so, you know, it's great to see him do well. He's got a new contract (at Celtic). It's probably off the back of how well he's done last year. 'He's gone back to Celtic full of confidence, and kicked on.' He added: 'It was hard to watch at times, really, but obviously you're delighted for them. My full focus was just trying to get back fit and I was happy to call it a day if I couldn't get fit.' Meanwhile, Gaffney had to battle to get back to full fitness - and he delayed surgery on his ankle just in case he was needed for the Hoops' late, but ultimately unsuccessful, title bid. 'I had the surgery. I had an ongoing issue with the outside of my right ankle,' he explained. 'If the lads didn't get back into the league (title race), last year I would have had the surgery weeks before the season ended. 'But I thought I might be available for selection for the last two weeks, if there was an injury crisis that I put myself forward. 'It didn't happen, and I got the surgery on the Saturday morning after we played Waterford here on the Friday night (on the final day of the season). 'There was a tear in the tendon and then they just stitched it back together. 'Then it was probably eight weeks of, well, two weeks of nothing, and then just gym work, and then I got back jogging and then just kicked on from there.' Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . That was his second time last year to go under the knife. 'In August I had the Achilles surgery,' he said, 'but I had an ongoing issue with the right ankle. 'I didn't want to come back to pre-season and go, actually, this ankle's an issue, so I just said, I have to sort this now. Future proof in the body.' Gaffney managed to prove his fitness in an Under-20s game against Bohemians - and that was enough for manager Stephen Bradley. 'I was obviously training, but there's a big difference between training and matches,' he said. 'I did a couple of weeks training, and the manager said, I just need to see you play in a game. 'I played against the Bohs 20s, played a half, just ran around like a lunatic, trying to get the GPS stats up as much as possible, to show that I could run. 'I didn't touch the ball, but he said he'd seen enough.' These days it's a case of managing his load in training and making sure he is ready for match nights. 'I'd only train on a Monday. Then I'd get Tuesday and Wednesday off, train Thursday, match Friday, then Saturday and Sunday off,' he said. 'Monday is our heavy day, so I'd try to do the heavy session and then I'd kind of do my own thing on a Tuesday.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shels' European tie with Linfield may be brought forward due to Sam Fender gig
Shelbourne's clash with Linfield could be moved forward due to a scheduling clash with a Sam Fender gig in the area. Shels are due to play Linfield in the second-leg of their Conference League play-off at Windsor Park on Thursday August 28th, the same day that musician Fender plays to 40,000 at Boucher Road Playing Fields. Reports in the Belfast Telegraph suggest that Linfield, UEFA and the PSNI are looking at the situation and are heavily considering moving the game to an earlier date in order to avoid clashing with Fender's headline performance at the Belfast Vital festival. (Image: WireImage) That same report from The Belfast Telegraph states that Linfield have been told that there would be stewarding concerns should the game get played on the same day as Fender's gig, which will take place at the same time a little over a mile away. A PSNI spokesperson confirmed that they were looking at the situation and that an update would be issued when a decision was made.
