MIKEY DRENNAN FEELS he is ready to relaunch his football career in the League of Ireland after signing with Sligo Rovers, having taken a two-year break from the game.
The 24-year-old striker put his promising career on hold in May 2016 after bravely opening up about a three-year battle with depression.
Drennan has been playing with local club Evergreen in Kilkenny for the last 12 months and after declining several previous offers to return to senior football, says the time is now right for him to make a comeback with Sligo.
“It has been with me for the last couple of years about returning to the league,” he said.
“It has come up a few times, but I wasn’t 100% sure or ready to commit. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone by not being able to give my all, or to waste anyone’s time. I feel now I’m ready and this is a great fit for me.
“It’s four months to take a fantastic chance to get back into league football and full-time football. I’ve had two years out of the progressional game and I’m delighted to be able to return today. There were other clubs speaking to me and it was flattering to have that, but as soon as I came up here I was made feel really welcome by everyone and it was the club I wanted to sign for.
“Ger (Lyttle) was brilliant, I can see why people speak about his man-management. All of the players really welcomed me in too as soon as I walked through the door so you can tell it’s a good dressing-room. I feel fit but I’ll need a couple of weeks for sharpness and to get that bit extra fitness that comes with league matches.
“It was a tough decision to go for it and return to football. After two years it was probably always going to be. But I feel I’m in a place to do it and I can’t wait to put on the Sligo Rovers jersey, play in The Showgrounds and let’s see what can come from it.”
Drennan is a former Ireland U21 international and at the time of stepping away from football, he had returned to some of his best form with Shamrock Rovers, ending the 2015 season as the club’s top scorer with 12 league goals.
The Kilkenny native returned to Ireland in 2015 after a four-year spell with Aston Villa, during which he had loan spells with Carlisle United and Portsmouth.
Commenting on the signing of Drennan, Sligo boss Ger Lyttle said: “I’ve been tracking him for a couple of weeks and there was interest from a couple of other clubs. We invited him up and he was able to play in the friendly last night. We made him the offer and it was signed this morning so I think that speaks volumes for both parties.
“Our club is perfect for him. I have a lot of respect for how Mikey has conducted himself. When he left Shamrock Rovers, he could have easily stayed there and ignored things, but he didn’t. He tackled things head on, he was open, he was brave when being so open, and we’re really thrilled he has chosen us to make his return to the league.
“We pride ourselves at the club at being a great opportunity for any player and environment for them to flourish. He sees that I think. We want to build a squad here full of quality.”
Drennan will bring a real goal-scoring threat to Sligo’s forward line, which has struggled to hit the net during the first half of the campaign.
“I think it’s a great move for the club. Even in the game he played, albeit it was a low-key friendly, he showed the movement, the touches, that clear ability he possesses. He plays off a striker or as one and offers a big goal threat too,” Lyttle added.
“There is a good level of fitness there. It’s a huge boost for us and he comes into contention in July. I think our fans will be really pleased with the signing. It’s going to take him a small bit of time to adjust to playing Premier Division football again but I think he’ll prove to be a great signing for us.”
Delighted to have signed with @sligorovers🔴⚪️ looking forward to get back playing #bitored https://t.co/XUljz5sGxg
— mikey drennan (@mikeydrennan) June 13, 2018
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Some bad decisions at crucial times cost us dearly. But, what kind of asshat boos their own team? Stay at home next time you bunch of morons.
Shane, I could be wrong but I thought they were booing the late tackle on Cooney(I think). He put in a grubber kick and was hit late.
Only caught the last ten mins they were booing because carty got body checked after he tried his grubber.?? Unless I missed something in the first 70 that they were booing at ?
They were booing the opposition kicker and all, that’s no way to behave. It was embarrassing listening to the Connaught crowd
Awfully disappointed for Connacht. Thought they could build on their win last week, but much like us, are pretty inconsistent when it comes to getting it up for the non-derby games. Peaks and troughs…
Terrible result. Gutted.
Connachts form returns!
Why not? We could do with a roof though! Connacht don’t do fair weather supporters
No need for a 20k stadium now ?
Why not? We could do with a roof anyway…Connacht don’t do fair weather supporters
Im sure if ye gave connacht 20k seats from thomand ye would still have trouble filling it . Munster fans only do the big European Cup games and there will be no more of them this season.
Munster have been the top attendance drom7 of the first 12 pro-12 games look up the pro-12 official site!
Sale in a few weeks there Harvey .
You can’t go by the official figures as they include st holders. Munster on the past perhaps but over the past 3 or 4 years their attendance figures for non European cup games and Leinster games have been poor.
The largest attendance of the season was at the Aviva stadium which was a home game for Leinster.
Sorry Lad, Munster don’t have the highest attendance :-(
Ok noggy that maybe so but I’m sure it’s the same criteria for every team in the pro12 with that in mind Munster are still the top attendance in 7/12 games do far. And btw why does dome dick feel the need to have a cut at Munster on a totally Connacht article. Sad pr1ks
I never mentioned anything about Leinster. You tried to state a fact and I simply corrected you on it.
No noggy what I said is that Munster have the top attendances in7/12 pro-12 games. Google pro12 attendances and check the attendance each week. I also said that not you but some d1ck had too try too cut Munster on a totally Connacht article. Place is full of jealous a55holes. This is no forum for anything but Connacht till that muppet too his swipe.
@ Harvey
Philip, you are an embarrassment to the real Munster fans.
Who are you.
Ah now Philip. The dogs in the street know the official attendances are pure fiction.
Shane,Go easy on philip he,s a walter mitty type character who claimed to have played for munster to add a bit of weight to his pathetic posts on these articles.probably another bandwagon jumper who has to prove his undying love for the red army by slating the other three provinces.
That is all.
Christopher tobin started it
Connacht were betrayed by a lack of patience in the end. After the clock had struck eighty minutes, there was only one viable option for Connacht and that was to hold onto the ball at all costs, no matter how little metres they were making with ball in hand; they had to hold onto it and just wait for the opening. For an inexplicable reason they grubber-kicked it, away, with the inevitable consequence that Edinburgh regathered it and sealed the match.
Irish sides have to remember the powerful lesson from that painful extra-time defeat to the All Blacks in November 2013: the All Blacks held onto the ball, without deviation, for however long it took to get over the Irish tryline. They never, even for a moment, considered kicking the ball. They knew their job, they knew that it would be attritional and involve only inches at a time, but also that it was simple and achievable. Irish sides, historically, have had a habit of running out of patience, losing their concentration and deviating from the path. After putting in some effort, we change tactic and opt for the Hail Mary pass (in rugby terms, kicking the ball away in hope rather than expectation). Our characteristic lack of patience has to be tackled once and for all.
Totally agree
This is where experience is needed.
Let’s not forget carty is barely out of his teens.
Dreadful performance tonight but in all fairness at least this year we can chalk it down to a bad day at the office, last year it was par for the course.
Agree but Alan Solomons said the before the match that the game would be won in the half backs and Marmion then found it difficult with Clyne. When Cooney and Carty came on the go forward improved. Lam later said that Marmion was carrying a knock. Can never understand why coaches all send subs on around the 60 minute mark?
Can everyone stop talking about munster? Its like Munster are the Muslims of the rugby world. Ye were not playing tonight boyos! We are Not FIng Interested in talking about ye.
Henshaw is some player,he has to stay at Connacht so they can keep improving!
Attendance for tonight ?
Both main stand and clan stand sold out. Not quite sure how that tots up in numbers, but probably slightly over 5000. In that weather.
Dont Shane, you will hurt Philip’s feelings!
He will cry himself to sleep in his Leinster PJs
Too many penalties at scrum time killed us. Caught pneumonia I think, terrible conditions but they were the same for both teams. No excuses, we didn’t front up.
Well played lads regardless.
Philip Ryan is a troll. I have no time for trolls.
Yeah…but never against those elements. The sensible option was to get the ball off the park and bank a very valuable point . Would have been subside if there was a turnover and didn’t get the bonus point.