Keegan enjoying first season at Youths

Wexford Youths start to the season may have surprised many people but not manager Shane Keegan. He knew he had a decent squad that could make an impact this season.
 

Although they fell to their fourth defeat of the season at the hands of leaders Longford Town on Saturday night, Youths are just one point off a play-off spot. Keegan is pleased with his side’s start to the season. “It’s going very well for us so far,” he told extratime.ie.
 

“We are very happy with where we are at the moment. If we are in the top four or thereabouts by the half-way point we’ll certainly start to believe that we will mount a proper challenge for promotion.”
 

The Youths boss admitted that before the season they didn’t target a particular place to finish but instead a points tally; they are on course for reaching that goal.
 

He said, “At the start of the season rather than aiming for a particular place to finish on we aimed for a particular point tally which is in our own control. We are very much on line for that. That’s still our realistic aim, given the start we have made we should be exceeding the initial aim that we had for the points tally. That’s our chief aim. Where that will see us finish I don’t quite know.”
 

Keegan might not know where his own side will finish in the table but he believes the current top two in the table will challenge for the title. He didn’t predict who he thought would finish top though.
 

“I would be surprised if Limerick and Longford weren’t the top two, though I don’t know in what order. Then there’s a box of four of us in the middle and it’s very tight. I think the title race will go down to the wire as well as the final play-off spot.”
 

Youths certainly put it up to the First Division leaders on Saturday and could’ve grabbed a point near the end. They also had claims for a handball turned down in the 90th minute when Tom Elmes’ strike appeared to hit a Town defender’s arm in a crowded box. Keegan couldn’t find fault with his side’s performance.
 

“I thought the first half we did quite well. It was a tight half and Longford got their goal from a very good set-piece. Coming in at half-time I was happy with our performance, there wasn’t a whole lot for us to change because I felt we were on top a little bit in the first half. In the second half Longford started to get on top and they should’ve finished us off. When that they didn’t happen the last five minutes we never stopped trying and they kept pushing. We feel a bit aggrieved about the handball claim.”
 

This is the former FC Carlow manager’s first season in the Airtricity League and he’s enjoying the new experience and challenge.
 

“By and large I’m very much enjoying it and very grateful to get the chance at this level by Mick (Wallace). It’s going very well at the moment but we have to make sure we don’t get carried away with ourselves and much as much effort over the second half of the season,” he said.