Doncaster Rovers: Kieran Sadlier determined to finally get his Keepmoat career started

Kieran Sadlier is looking to put frustration behind him and kick start his Doncaster Rovers career in earnest this weekend.
Kieran SadlierKieran Sadlier
Kieran Sadlier

The 24-year-old has managed little more than five minutes for Rovers since international clearance was granted for his move early this month.

Sadlier came off the bench in the 89th minute of the impressive 3-1 win over Preston North End in the third round of the FA Cup but a groin injury suffered in an outing for the U23 the following week has seen his hopes of quickly establishing himself as a Rovers player dashed.

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Following 90 minutes and a goal in Monday’s entertaining 3-3 draw with Everton for the U23s, the forward insists he is fighting fit and determined to finally get going at the Keepmoat.

"That game the other night will have benefited me massively,” he said. “I’m ready to go when called upon.

“I came off the bench against Preston but then did it in an U23s game where I was trying to get minutes. It was frustrating.

“It's about kicking on now, getting more minutes in first team action and trying to make an impact to try to help the lads push on in the FA Cup first, and then the play-off places.”

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Sadlier believes his busy 2018 may have contributed to his injury.

After playing a full campaign for Cork City – the League of Ireland uses a summer season format – which culminated in the FAI Cup final in early November, he managed to fit in a break of only a couple of weeks before joining up with the Rovers squad.

“I'd played a lot of football in Ireland so then coming over and getting straight back into it after a sort break, maybe something like that has affected it,” he said.

The FA Cup could easily deliver Sadlier's second appearance for Rovers, who host Oldham Athletic on Saturday looking to reach the fifth round of the competition for the first time in 63 years.

“It’d be great to make my proper debut at the Keepmoat and this is the perfect game to do it,” he said.

“There’s a great chance of progressing in the FA Cup and I want to be a part of that.”