Only one n in Keena

“We have been working on a few things during the week. The gaffer knows what he is doing and we are buying into it ...

Mullingar is town in County Westmeath with a population of around 21000 but their latest protege, one Aidan Keena, has in one match achieved what he came to Scotland to do - make a name for himself in Scottish football.

When the teamlines arrived in the press box at Inverness on Tuesday night, interest was predominantly in the four changes that John Robertson made going into what the north hacks hoped would be the Highlanders 22nd league match without defeat. Then they clocked that the visitors had made five changes. There were re-assurances sought about the name of number 35. Was there an n missing off the end of Keena?

Ten minutes into the match the keypads were certainly making sure there was no n at the end of Keena and when the Irishman hit a magnificent effort into the top corner for a second just 19 minutes later there was a lot of googling going on to find out where on earth Dunfermline Athletic discovered this talent.

Speaking to this website post match, Aidan felt that he had forcefully taken the opportunity that he had been waiting for but had been optimistic that the match could have been even better for his team:-

“I was looking to score a few more and come away with the three points. It was a long journey so we will happily take a point home.” He claimed that his early goal settled his nerves, modestly playing down the quality of his opening goal:-

“It was a good start, I hadn’t played in a while and this is a higher level than I am used to. It was good to get in and score a goal early.”

The nineteen year old’s second strike was described as a wonder goal by the press already enquiring if Allan Johnston had this whirlwind signed on a season long loan from Hearts or could Craig Levein recall him to boost his increasingly injury inflicting diminishing squad? Undeterred Aidan talked through how his second Dunfermline goal came about:-

“Aidan Connolly had it on the left wing, Myles (Hippolyte) went off me and I just stayed. He pulled it back to me, I took a touch and found that there was no one around me so I just hit it. Hopefully I can hit a few more like that.”

Harping back to his days playing with the youths at St Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin where he was a prolific goalscorer Aidan added:-

“I have scored a few like that before. You don’t have to think about them, you touch, hit and happen to pick out a place.”

Aidan missed out on a debut first half hat trick but was very hopeful at the break that he could score again in the second half.

“I was in before half time but the touch got it away from me. I thought coming out for the second half that I could score again but I went a bit tired in the end.”

With the Hearts connection, young Aidan had come across John Robertson before. Pre match the Caley Thistle manager had possibly highlighted the potential trouble but his half time team talk surely must have instructed his players to pay much more attention to the player on loan from Hearts and ‘stop Keena’. The striker commented:-

“If it was it is brilliant. He is a Hearts legend himself and it would be great if he recognised it. I have met him before and at least he knew my name.”

Aidan plays with Hearts Reserves and so cannot get match practice with his Dunfermline team mates without playing first team football. He has found that frustrating but hopes that his impact at Inverness can earn him plenty more starts.

“I got ten minutes against Queen of the South two weeks ago but you can’t really do much in ten minutes.”

After two matches without finding the opposition net the Pars problem scoring goals is undeniable. Aidan revealed that was something the management team had been addressing in training:-

“We have been working on a few things during the week. The gaffer knows what he is doing and we are buying into it, so hopefully results will start falling our way now.

“I am just getting to know the boys and they are just getting to know me. It is good to gel with the lads. When we gel it makes us better and I have no problem with service when we have Malaury Martin playing in midfield.

“I have played with him quite a lot, that makes it easier for me because he knows the runs I make, I know the pass that he likes to play. If he is playing a bit more it might help me out too.”

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