26-05-2025
Aaron McEneff loved ‘great moment' goading Brandywell crowd after late winner for Shamrock Rovers
AARON McENEFF made no apologies for savouring his late winner against his former club.
The Shamrock Rovers star netted with a minute to go as the Hoops
He enjoyed the moment to the full, running the length of the Southend Stand with arms aloft, in front of the home fans, earning a booking for his troubles.
But McEneff beamed: 'It was a great moment to be honest."
'I got a bit excited with the celebration but I've had a tough time last year with injuries and stuff and I'm only back from a wee niggle so to come up and score the winner here is a night I'll not forget."
'With it being Derry, my home town, there was a wee bit of emotion and I just got excited.'
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Admitting he probably recognised some familiar faces as he gloated, the midfielder said: 'It was just one of those moments, you come off the bench, you score so late and you're overcome with emotions, I suppose."
'As a player, you have to take stick sometimes so I'm sure the fans are big enough to take a wee bit of stick back.'
The 29-year-old made his name at Derry, although the League Cup in 2018 was the only piece of silverware he won in his time there.
In two seasons with Rovers, he won the FAI Cup and Premier Division title, earning a call-up to the Ireland senior squad along the way.
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An 18-month stint with Hearts — whom he helped to win promotion — followed before another season-and-a-half spell with Perth Glory.
His return to Tallaght before the start of last year has not exactly gone according to plan, although he did help Stephen Bradley's side reach the last 16 of the Europa Conference League and they are now favourites to reclaim the league crown.
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'But I got a good pre-season and I got a good base of fitness, I got a good run of games at the start of the season and then I just got a small niggle in my calf."
He said: 'Last year it was my quad and then I had a few hamstring problems but we shut me down early at the back end of last year and I missed a few European games.
'At this club, it's all about the group and our group is in a really good place at the moment."
'When you're on the bench you have to be ready to come on to try to impact the game."
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Aaron McEneff cupping his ears to the home fans at the very familiar Brandywell Stadium.
'Subs have done that and thankfully I was able to do that."
'It has been frustrating at times with the injuries I've had."
'There have been times when I've felt like I've been getting going and really getting to the level where I think I can get to and maybe push on, and maybe something else happened."
'But I've stuck with it to be fair and the group's stood by me and the staff here are brilliant. I just want to kick on and help the team, I suppose."
'That's my game, getting into the box and scoring goals. Thankfully, the ball fell to me and I did that.'
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With only Seán Kavanagh — who is due back soon — currently injured, competition for places is intense at Rovers but McEneff has no issue with rotation.
He joked: 'It's like an NFL squad! There's a lot of games, a lot of football to be played."
'There's a lot of talented players. You see at times when we pick up injuries, people have to step up."
'Now we've got a full squad and people are going to have to be ready, whether they're starting or on the bench."
'That's just the way it is, it's about the group and, to go and win things, with the amount of games we're playing, we're going to need everyone involved so it's important to be ready when you're called upon to do a job.'
