SHAMROCK ROVERS HAVE announced that midfielder Keith Fahey has called time on his playing career.
The club says a knee and hip problem has forced the 32-year-old Dubliner into early retirement, having sustained the injury during Rovers’ FAI Cup defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic on 29 May.
Despite undergoing surgery on the injury, Fahey has been unable to recover sufficiently to resume playing and has subsequently made the decision to hang up his boots.
“Unfortunately I have had to come to this decision after taking advice from the doctor and surgeon,” said Fahey, who joined the Hoops from St Pat’s back in November.
“I feel that it is the right time to finish playing professional football. I’d like to thank everyone that has supported me, managed me and played with me during my time playing football.”
Fahey scored three goals in 16 senior appearances for the Republic of Ireland, including a crucial winner away to Armenia during the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, but he missed the tournament in Poland and Ukraine due to injury.
Fahey also had five seasons with Birmingham City, for whom he started in their 2-1 win against Arsenal in the 2011 English League Cup final.
Shamrock Rovers manager Pat Fenlon said: “Keith will be a big loss to Shamrock Rovers and the League of Ireland in general. He has been a central part of our squad this season and has been a great influence on the players, particularly the younger members of our squad.
“We will miss his experience at the club, experience he brought from playing at the top level of English football, in addition to his international career, and I want to wish him all the best in his retirement.”
