Latest news with #McInroy
The 42
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'You kind of need to earn your stripes first' - Shelbourne's Scottish midfielder on finding his voice
LEADERSHIP WAS THE common theme after Shelbourne snatched a 90th-minute winner against St Patrick's Athletic on Friday. Stephen Kenny was calling for more of it from his players, pointing out that only Chris Forrester and Sean Hoare have experience of winning league titles in a squad that are expected to challenge for the Premier Division crown. 'We've got some amazing characters in the team – Joe Redmond the captain, Jamie Lennon, and people like that, they're bobbling along but it's not a good goal to concede either,' he said of that late sucker punch. 'We've played a lot of good football in a lot of games but obviously Drogheda away was just a bad game. We've played a lot of good football and you see [on Friday], very good, but we don't want to get into the habit of losing games and certainly….a win would have put us in a great position, a really great position.' Instead, Pat's are fifth, four points off leaders Shamrock Rovers who top the table ahead of Derry City on goal difference after victories over Drogheda United and Cork City, respectively. Shels boss Damien Duff, meanwhile, just wanted those in his dressing room to take a leaf out of captain Mark Coyle's book. 'I know you all look at me like I'm going up there throwing pots and pans. I can't remember the last time I screamed in a dressing room,' he said. Advertisement 'I'm very calm. I could hear Coyler (captain Mark Coyle) five rooms away screaming and that's what I want. I could hear Coyler screaming, tearing the heads off people and that's what I want, we're champions, I want men in the dressing room.' Everyone in Tolka Park – except those of a St Pat's persuasion – were roaring with delight after Kerr McInroy showed the type of stamina and technique that has come to be expected of him since joining this winter. Duff worked with him at Celtic during his time in Scotland and attempted to sign the midfielder in every season since taking the reins in Drumcondra. Last winter Duff collected McInroy at Dublin airport, brought him over for a weekend of training and made sure he signed on the dotted line. Such has been the Scot's impact a new deal was then agreed in April, with Duff declaring in the club's announcement: 'Humble, Respectful, Honest, Resilient, Driven, Confident, Clever, Positive, Energetic, Consistent, Affable, Brilliant. To some that would be the perfect player. To us, it is Kerr…….' But still the manager wants more from a player who has an explosiveness to his game that is matched by an ability to regularly cover around 11.5km per game. McInroy walked into the media room at Tolka on Friday night just as Duff was in the middle of his post-match duties. The manager didn't need a second invitation to send a message about urging him to become more voca. It was the obvious place to start with McInroy once he took a seat. 'I'd agree with him that I'm definitely too quiet. It's probably something I need to improve on in the group,' he said. 'It's something I've never really done but I probably need to push myself out of my comfort zone and talk more in the group. Obviously, as a person, I talk away to the boys, it's probably more speaking in the changing room. I'm quite quiet when it comes to that. 'I kind of think, it isn't in my nature anyway to kind of be a loud one, but if I was to come in here, a Scottish guy that none of the boys really know, and just start ranting and raving, they'd probably be like, 'who's that?' So, you kind of need to earn your stripes first before you do it. 'It's probably something I've never ever done in any dressing room I've been in. So I probably need to push myself out of my comfort zone and just go for it.' McInroy has also ended up as somewhat of a catalyst for the row between Duff and Rovers boss Stephen Bradley after being heralded as the best midfielder in the country. 'It's just about playing football on the pitch. I'm not really bothered about anything else. So it's just kind of about getting my head down and focusing on my game,' he said. 'If it maybe adds a bit more attention to me, then so be it, but that's kind of not really up to me to decide that. I just need to focus on what I do on the pitch.' That's where
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Kerr McInroy vows to raise his voice as Damien Duff's Shelbourne roar back into League of Ireland title race
KERR MCINROY is confident he can find his voice as Damien Duff - sometimes literally - drives for more success with Shelbourne. Duff is a big fan of the player with whom he had previously worked at Advertisement 2 Shelbourne's Kerr McInroy reckons he can be a louder voice in the dressing room 2 Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has urged McInroy to be more vocal He has described him as the best midfielder in the country and handed him a new extended contract last month. McInroy repaid some of that faith with a composed last-minute finish to earn But the McInroy said: 'I'd agree with him that I'm definitely too quiet. It's probably something I need to improve on in the group. Advertisement read more on football 'It's something I've never really done but I probably need to push myself out of my comfort zone and talk more in the group. 'Obviously, as a person, I talk away to the boys, it's probably more speaking in the changing room. I'm quite quiet when it comes to that.' But the ex-Kilmnarnock and Partick Thistle player admitted that - as a newcomer to a league winning squad - he had to bide his time as well before he started shouting the odds. He said: 'It isn't in my nature anyway to kind of be a loud one, but if I was to come in here, a Scottish guy that none of the boys really know, and just start ranting and raving, they'd probably be like, who's that? Advertisement Most read in Football 'So you kind of need to earn your stripes first before you do it, but it's probably something I've never ever done in any dressing room I've been in.' But, although McInroy did not know any of the players at Shels beforehand, Duff's presence was enough to convince him to take the plunge and move here. Trent Alexander-Arnold BOOED by Liverpool fans after boyhood fan confirmed he's leaving in weeks He said 'I just came straight over myself and just dived two feet into it and I'm so happy I've done it. 'I obviously knew the manager previously so was looking forward to working with him. Advertisement 'The first day I came over, I came over and trained for a couple of days and played a friendly in pre-season, and he picked me up from the airport. 'So it just kind of shows the kind of sentimental touch, he could have sent a taxi for me, could have sent a member of staff, but he came and got me himself, which was a warm welcome for me. 'I'm probably not as close to him now as he's the manager, but probably he's the exact same as what he was when I worked with him at Celtic. I got on so well with him then and I do now. 'I think it was actually not long after he originally got the job here that he got in contact with me. Maybe a couple of times over the three and a half years he's been in charge. He's been in contact with me to come over and just for whatever reason the time wasn't right. Advertisement 'I was signing with clubs in Scotland so it just never aligned. But when I spoke to him in January I was like 'Let's go over to Ireland, let's have a crack at it.' I'm delighted with my decision.' It has not been a straightforward title defence with Friday's triumph ending a run of five games without a win but McInroy believes the side has come out of that stronger. He said: 'We've obviously been on a disappointing run of late. So it was massive to get a win in the manner we did. "Coming back from a goal down and getting the last minute winner probably couldn't be any better Advertisement 'So it's about using that momentum going forward now. 'It's obviously been a disappointing run but in the long run maybe it's going to be good for us. We've handled the disappointments, the mistakes. 'Everyone's stuck together which is a big thing and hopefully we can kick on now.'
The Irish Sun
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Damien Duff doubles down on Kerr McInroy praise after seeing him bag late winner vs St Patrick's Athletic
DAMIEN DUFF doubled down on his praise of Kerr McInroy and insisted his half-time triple change was no gamble. McInroy's 2 It was a much-needed win for them after a run of five games without a victory 2 The Ireland legend clearly thinks very highly of McInroy's ability Stephen Bradley's dismissal of Duff's claim that the Scot was the best midfielder in the League Duff described it as nonsense and tried to draw a line under it by saying it was time to keep schtum. But he had already alluded to it when asked about McInroy with the player within earshot. Duff said: 'He's a goal-scoring midfielder. Read More On Irish Football 'Here, in this league you need to be careful what you say about Kerr. The quote when he signed, all the character traits I said about him, I don't bulls**. It is him. 'He's in the room now. So I was speaking to him. These types of people don't come along very often, but I was also speaking to the rest of my players - 'this is what you should be like every day. Not just game day, every day'. 'So I do think about what I say. Yeah, Kerr was brilliant. He's a f***ing brilliant player, end of story. 'If there's a slight on Kerr, he's probably too quiet. He's a leader, he's come in, he's been brilliant, he's taken the club by storm but he's still quiet. Most read in Football 'I could hear Mark Coyle five rooms away screaming at half-time and that's what I want. "I could hear Coyler screaming, tearing the heads off people and that's what I want, we're champions, I want men in the dressing room. Mikel Arteta does a Benitez as he rants about xG and tells Luis Enrique 'look at the stats' after bold Arsenal claim 'We came in, we explained the shape, the shape change, and there's not really a lot else you can do. I could feel nerves off them, a bit of edginess. 'As bizarre as it sounds, they may need an arm around the shoulder and help because winning the league is new and defending the league is new. 'They are there to be shot at, they are coming off the back of a bad few weeks. They don't need me and Joey O'Brien to tear strips off them. 'I know you all look at me like I'm going up there throwing pots and pans. I can't remember the last time I screamed in a dressing room.' Nevertheless, he took decisive action with Tyreke Wilson, Sam Bone and John Martin all substituted. Four days previously he had made two changes just after the half-hour mark and a third at the interval. But Duff said: 'It wasn't a gamble. Guys being taken off, firstly can't take it personal and secondly, if you're going to waste a half of football you might as well come and sit beside me. 'The guys weren't bad but they can be better. They brought an energy, but they can bring more energy. 'I think we have wasted a lot of moments this season, wasted a lot of minutes. I didn't see it as a gamble, I saw it clear as day. 'The whole of Tolka thinking 'Jesus he's at it again'. The other day, it wasn't a gamble taking two lads off on 30, on another day it would have won us the game. 'The first action is Ali Coote crossing for John Martin, the second action was Coote playing Martin down the line when an official wrongly put his flag up, so that wasn't a gamble. I know when I gamble, and they ain't gambles.' SAW RED The idea of sitting beside Duff is hard to imagine as he has no need for a place on the bench. Although he barely reacted when McInroy's goal went in, that was at odds with his demeanour for the rest of the game. He could be heard cursing one of his own players, deriding the ability of an opponent and screaming 'you had one f***ing job' at the fourth official after he was yellow-carded for being out of his technical area when opposite number Duff said: 'Are we rating my performance on the side now as well? I was more emotional in the second half, trying to drive the lads on with their press. 'It's not always a sexy pass or a dribble that gets people off their feet, sometimes it's a tackle. 'The guys mirror my emotion. I need to be emotional on the side but it wasn't really emotional at my players, I think I was obviously trying to manage Shelbourne Football Club, coach Shelbourne Football Club but I was trying to ref the game, because I thought it needed help. 'I want to run Irish football, I want to do everything but there's obviously not enough time. There was emotion but it wasn't at the players.'
Irish Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne share the spoils in dramatic Tallaght clash
After a week of comebacks that hurt Shamrock Rovers they produced one of their own to share the spoils with Damien Duff's tigerish champions in a thrilling Dublin derby in Tallaght. Rocked by 3-2 losing to Bohs' Easter Monday rising at the same venue after conceding a late equaliser at St Pat's last Friday, the Hoops were in control against Shels at the break last night. Matt Healy's 28th minute goal - his first for the club since his close season move from Belgium - was the platform for Stephen Bradley's side to go hunting for more either side of the break. They couldn't add to their advantage but Shels looked to be in an even tighter spot when they lost the in-form Kerr McInroy and centre-half Sam Bone to injury in the 51st minute. However McInroy's replacement Ali Coote pounced with his first touch within moments of the restart, and Mipo Odubeko put Duff's Reds in front five minutes later. Rovers, who conceded three in the final 26 minutes against Bohs, found another gear and Daniel Cleary fired home from close range to level it up again. It was Rovers who came closest in the final stages but both sides had to be content with a point earned - and two lost. For Shels, it was their third 2-2 draw in seven days. Bradley was asked on the eve of this derby if, given his Celtic contacts, Shels' star of the season so far McInroy was the one who got away. "No," came the reply. "We were very clear that Matt was the one that we wanted for quite some time." Corkman Healy repaid his manager with the game's first goal after what had been a fiercely contested opening. Bradley had promised that his players would demand more of themselves in response to Monday and he made two changes, with Danny Grant and Graham Burke in for Adam Matthews and Aaron Greene. Duff made just one change from Shels' draw with leaders Drogheda - Harry Wood for Ali Coote - and the Reds made the better start. After an Odubeko attempt was deflected for a corner, Evan Caffrey got on the ball and curled a cross-shot to the far post that Rovers keeper Ed McGinty had to touch away. Another corner ensued and Bone headed wide. But Bone was soon having trouble with Rovers' 16-year-old striker Michael Noonan, who scored his debut League goal on Monday. 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. The Shels centre-half struggled to clear as Noonan threatened to run in behind and the teenager pounced on the loose ball, flat-footing Bone before his shot was blocked. Noonan was then close to getting on the end of a dangerous Jack Byrne cross to the back post after Healy did well to switch the play. Shels conceded a corner but Lee Grace couldn't keep down a free header. Rovers were certainly on top and they broke the deadlock soon after. Byrne teed up Healy at the edge of the box and Shels netminder Conor Kearns moved to his left, expecting a shot into that corner. Instead, the ex-Ipswich youngster found the opposite one and Rovers kept the foot on the pedal. From just inside his area, McGinty did enough to prevent Noonan from having a shot into an empty net. Byrne fired a free-kick into the wall, Burke had a pop from an acute angle - his shot whistling over the top - and Byrne tried his luck again - this time from play, with Bone deflecting over with a header. The half ended with Roberto Lopes glancing wide from a corner and, as the second half got underway, Rovers picked up from where they left off with Noonan racing onto Dylan Watts' long ball but shooting at Kearns. Shels' task looked to have become more difficult when McInroy, who received treatment in the first half, was forced out of the action. Moments later, Bone walked to the dug-out too, with Coote and Sean Gannon replacing them. Yet the Reds swiftly restored parity. Caffrey whipped a pass crossfield for James Norris, whose cross to the back post and nodded back by Wood into the path of Coote and he fired home from close range. That lit the spark and the visitors grabbed the lead four minutes later. Working the ball out from Kearns, Shels switched it to the left flank again. Cameron Ledwidge had plenty of time to deliver the right cross for Odubeko and he clinically dispatched it for his fourth League goal of the season. It was some turnaround but Rovers battled back. Watts barged his way into the box but fired wide, but from a 66th minute corner Healy got a touch and Grace sent the ball back across the six yard box for Cleary to slot home. At the other end, Caffrey threatened twice in quick succession without finding the target. Grant was released by Burke but Kearns stood tall to deny him nine minutes from time as the tension ratcheted up and tempers flared, but the scoring was done.
The Independent
09-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Rewire economy to see Scotland become richer and greener, report urges
Scotland must rewire its economy to become a fairer, greener and richer country, an economic and environmental report has said. The paper urges political leaders to put a circular approach at the heart of growing the country's economy. Environmental organisation Zero Waste Scotland has published the report alongside the Economic Development Association Scotland (EDAS), which describes itself as the 'foremost membership organisation for economic development professionals working across Scotland'. The joint report calls for 'social provisioning' to be a central part of public policy to 'reverse the idea that society operates for the benefit of the economy to one which ensures the economy's purpose is to ensure benefit for the people and the planet'. Circular Economy: Unlocking Scotland's Economic Potential urges a move away from a 'take-make-waste' economy in Scotland that currently sees only 1.3% of materials reused. It calls for a circular economy instead, an idea based on the sustainable reuse of materials and products in a bid to create less waste. National and local governments are urged to 'embrace real reform' rather than 'tinkering at the edges'. The report praises Scotland's 'strong policies' promoting a circular economy but warns they must be more effectively integrated with the rest of society to achieve results. It also calls for a move away from GDP 'as the sole measure of success'. The authors say key industries, including housing, construction, renewable energy and food must embed circularity to drive sustainable development and reduce waste. The report says: 'We stand at an inflexion point moving from a long-standing fossil-fuelled economic growth model – with unacceptable levels of poverty and inequality with unsustainable and linear material and resource use – to an emerging circular, greener, more universally generous wellbeing economic model, one which must effectively organise itself accordingly to society's needs and wants. 'We need a rewiring of the economy which is not just tinkering at the edges. We must embrace real reform.' EDAS chairman Neil McInroy, an expert in community wealth building who previously advised the Scottish Government on the issue, said: 'The Scottish economy stands at a pivotal moment. 'As we transition from a longstanding linear growth model to an emerging circular wellbeing-driven framework, we must fundamentally rethink the purpose of economic development.' Mr McInroy said creating a circular economy would be 'central' to Scotland's future prosperity. He added: 'We need greater innovation and bolder ambition to transform our economy and move beyond the constraints of the traditional growth versus no growth debate and create a thriving, resilient society. 'Scotland has an opportunity to be a true leader in integrating circular principles into economic development.' Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: 'For too long the circular economy has been painted as a 'bolt on' to business as usual; something that offers a degree of sustainability and opportunity around the fringes of the current economic model but only where circumstances allow and certainly not where it appears to get in the way of normal growth characteristics. 'But if we're serious about achieving a future that's both environmentally and economically sound, then circularity needs to become more central to the purpose of economic growth. 'It is the ultimate tool to help us increase prosperity in line with our net zero and anti-poverty objectives, realising lucrative opportunities for business growth, investment in innovation, upskilling of the workforce and create more resilient communities – as well as protect our natural environment. 'In Scotland we have a strong commitment to circularity at decision-making level, and through this partnership with EDAS we look forward to strengthening our work with the Scottish Government and key delivery partners to accelerate sustainable change for people, planet, and prosperity.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We are determined to ensure that Scotland is at the forefront of the net zero economy. 'We are taking forward targeted actions to secure growth and investment, and providing certainty for businesses by demonstrating how we will work to reduce barriers to investment and, where appropriate, share risk and reward. 'Ministers recognise that a circular economy is essential to power Scotland's transition to a fair, green and sustainable economy, and critical to meeting our obligations to tackle the twin climate and nature emergencies.'
