Keelin Comiskey shining bright at Shamrock Rovers
Club: Shamrock Rovers
Position: Defender
Games Played: 11
Goals Scored: 0
It is a mark of how well Keelin Comiskey has performed in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division that she is being mentioned as a leading contender for the Young Player of the Year Award.
There is still a lot of football to be played before the end-of-season honours are distributed but the young defender has been exceptional in what is her debut campaign at senior level with Shamrock Rovers.
The 16-year-old has even been name-checked by Ireland Women’s National Team Head Coach Carla Ward as a stand-out player but none of the hype has affected her. In fact, she continues to improve with each game that she plays.
Operating from left-back, Comiskey brings a tenacity that is showcased in her impressive stats of winning over 50% of her duels and over 60% of her aerial duels along with making 90 recoveries and 47 interceptions. She plays the game in top gear and that is one of the reasons why the transition to senior football has not been a daunting one.
There are similarities with former Peamount United ace Tara O’Hanlon in how Comiskey likes to break forward on overlapping runs, swing crosses into the opposition penalty area and, quite frankly, produce crunching tackles that will make wingers think twice about trying to take her on.
Even with so many talented young players breaking through with The Hoops, Comiskey regularly makes fans lean forward in their seats and applaud her efforts. It is an attitude thing as she plays with a level of commitment that is infectious – especially amongst her team-mates who can often follow her lead in terms of matching the same tempo.
Of course, there is a lot for Comiskey to still add to her skillset but the reigning Ireland Girls’ Under-16 Player of the Year is a keen student of the game and that bodes well for what should be a very bright future ahead of her.
For now, Shamrock Rovers are taking their time and giving her the right kind of support to aid her development. It is working too as Comiskey continues to make the most of each game that she plays.
