‘Spectacular’ Sheridan Ireland’s Next-Gen Starlet?

Name: Cillian Sheridan
Date of Birth: 23/02/1989
Team: Celtic Glasgow
Shirt Number: 26
Nationality: Republic of Ireland
Position: Striker

Set foot in any of the twenty-six counties of Ireland and the prospect of an overwhelming ‘aficionado’ for club football will be somewhat quashed - the legions of fans flooding to Croke Park usually anticipate the offerings of Gaelic football on show so Cillian Sheridan's voyage to Celtic is ever the more surprising. Once regarded as one of Gaelic football's youngest leading lights, the lofty striker who stands at 6.4 feet was scouted by Scottish Premier League champions Celtic after playing for Belvedere F.C. in his native capital of Dublin. Sheridan declared his arrival by claiming the assist to the winning goal of a cup tie on his debut almost two seasons ago. Untimely injuries threatened to stunt his march in pursuit of first-team action but four goals in ten matches for the reigning SPL Champions has propelled his name into the Celtic squad during the 2008/2009 season.

Stardom and divinity beckoned in either sport so the blessing for Sheridan was his overall aptitude in both Gaelic football and the game that is widely known as soccer - whilst the degree of success can only be considered beyond the twilight years of a footballer, the Irishman could be a national hero in the making.

County Caven, the birthplace of Sheridan, may fail to contest Celtic in a dual for global recognition and worldwide fame but representing his hometown club in Gaelic football was set to be the more probable choice of profession – until the calling of the Scottish giants lured him to the capital. The prospect of a career in Ireland’s ancient heritage sport was shunned to represent his new-found club in the continent’s own heavyweight skirmish against Manchester United. A collective of milestones had been reached in a Champions League debut against the defending victors in a season that has validated his presence as one of the league’s up-and-coming marvels.

Twenty months after donning the famous green and white hoops in a low-key cup victory over Inverness CT, Sheridan has forced Gordon Strachan to qualm over his reliance on the customary trio of Georgios Samaras, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and last term’s dominant figure Scott McDonald. Four influential goals in ten league appearances have aided Celtic in their conquest to be crowned as champions for a fourth successive campaign. As an eighteen year-old debutant, Sheridan assisted Kenny Miller to an 89th minute winner and has since shrugged off the potential drawbacks of injury to prove a thorn in the foot of the club’s experienced frontmen.

At a time where concerns are increasing over the financial chasm between the Scottish Premier League and the influx of billionaires south of the border, should Sheridan continue his soaring development then Celtic will yield the gold from producing their own crop of young footballers – the raw material that not even the bankrolls of a sugerdaddy from afar could guarantee.

Sheridan’s European debut against the star-studded eleven of Manchester United saw the towering Irishman given the arduous responsibility of holding his own against one of Europe’s most robust defensive partnerships in Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. There was no fairytale goal but Sheridan’s confidence boost as the minutes unravelled was evident and the applause on his departure signified that the Parkhead faithful had seen moments, if not glimpses, of what he could produce on the pitch. It would be safe to say his contributions on the night benefited the team more than any individual flashes of wizardry and trickery, but a solid unveiling to the European scene will act as an appetiser for future ties he is called upon.

Three caps for the Republic of Ireland Under-19s could be met with a radical elevation to the senior team before the SPL season ends if Sheridan continues to produce the potent finesse he has shown thus far, with fellow striker Scott McDonald opening up the debate for a potential appearance under Giovanni Trappattoni. “He’s got everything – he’s tall, he can run, he has skill and he can finish. As far as playing for Ireland, if he’s good enough, he’d old enough.”

The ultimate test for any young aspiring talent is to sustain the intelligence and incisiveness beyond one season and whilst the talk of Sheridan may come as premature hype, if he can consistently execute a high-level of finishing then a new star has arrived under the green jerseys of Celtic and Ireland. Tallying up a few goals in Scotland for this one season will not propel Sheridan to stardom and far too many across the globe have started emphatically only to fall despairingly into the realms of obscurity, but if his remarkable story continues in the same vein it has commenced then we are watching the beginning of a gifted individual's long and fruitful career.

The Word From Parkhead
"He has terrific pace and is one of the fittest guys I know and once he tidies up a few things in his game then he'll have everything. He's tall, can run and finish so he's a manager's dream.” Celtic strike-partner Scott McDonald, who has played a crucial role in Sheridan’s prominent rise to the first-team as the young Irishman continues to learn from his experienced peers.

“Cillian’s rise has been spectacular and he has really caught the eye. He has been scoring all sorts of goals, from blistering shots from outside the box to tap-ins. Cillian is the one player we have who is similar, in some ways, to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, that’s perhaps why the manager has taken him.” Joe McBride, the Celtic Under-19 coach.

Cillian Sheridan – SPL Statistics 08/09
Appearances: 8 (5 starts)
Minutes Played: 492
Goals Scored: 4
Strike-Rate: 1 goal every 123 minutes
Shots On Target: 8
Shots Off Target: 4
Shooting Accuracy: 67%