Karl Sheppard

Karl Sheppard
Personal information
Full nameKarl Sheppard
Date of birth14 February 1991
Place of birthDublin, Ireland
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Cork City
Number19
Youth career
Portmarnock A.F.C.
Shelbourne
2007–2010Everton
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2010Galway United35(8)
2011–2012Shamrock Rovers24(10)
2012–2013Reading0(0)
2012–2013Accrington Stanley (loan)10(1)
2013Shamrock Rovers (loan)26(5)
2014Shamrock Rovers19(1)
2015-Cork City7(3)
National team
2011Republic of Ireland U211(0)
2011League of Ireland XI1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:23, 23 October 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 August 2012

Karl Sheppard (born 14 February 1991), is an Irish footballer who plays for Cork City. He began his playing career at schoolboy club Portmarnock AFC before moving on to the schoolboy team of League of Ireland club Shelbourne.

Club career

Galway United

In February 2010 he signed for Galway United.[1] He made his League of Ireland debut at Richmond Park on the opening day of the 2010 League of Ireland season. His goal scoring in April earned him the Airtricity SWAI Player of the Month Award.[2] In his last game for the club he scored the winner in the Premier Division Promotion/Relegation play-off.[3]

Shamrock Rovers

In January 2011, Sheppard signed for the League of Ireland Champions.[4] He picked up his first senior trophy, playing all five games and scoring three goals en route to winning the 2011 Setanta Sports Cup.[5]

In August 2011, Sheppard helped Shamrock Rovers make history in becoming the first ever League of Ireland team to reach the group stages of a major European club competition when they qualified for the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League group stage. Sheppard earned the penalty late in extra time that saw Rovers win through 3–2 on aggregate away to FK Partizan in the 2011 Europa League Playoff Round.[6]

In October he scored at P.A.O.K. in the Europa League group stage.[7]

He scored a total of 15 goals in 35 appearances in the 2011 Shamrock Rovers F.C. season.

Reading

On 12 January 2012, Sheppard announced via his Twitter page that he had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at Reading, leaving Shamrock Rovers on a free transfer.[8] Reading reportedly beat off interest from other Championship clubs including Blackpool, Cardiff and Peterborough United.[9]

Loans

On 4 August 2012, Reading announced that Sheppard was joining Accrington Stanley on a six-month loan deal.[10] He made his debut in their 1–0 League Cup defeat against Carlisle United on 11 August and then scored the winner against Southend United a week later, his first goal in English football.[11][12] He returned to Reading on 3 January 2013 having not featured for Accrington since mid October.[13]

On 31 January 2013, he re-joined Shamrock Rovers on a six-month loan deal.[14] He made his return to the team in a 1–0 defeat to Coleraine on 11 February in the Setanta Cup,[15] but had to wait nearly three months for his first goal, scoring a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Sligo Rovers on 3 May.[16] Days before his original spell was due to expire, Sheppard's loan was extended until the end of the 2013 League of Ireland season.[17]

Return to Shamrock Rovers

In December 2013 Shepherd signed a one-year contract with Shamrock Rovers for the 2014 season after leaving Reading without making an appearance.[18]

Cork City

On 1 November 2014, Cork City announced the signing of Karl Sheppard from Shamrock Rovers. Sheppard scored 2 goals in his first 2 games for the Leesiders, the first in a friendly against US side PSC Academy and the second, also a friendly against Roscommon and District League.

International career

While a Shelbourne player Sheppard scored the fifth goal in Republic of Ireland U16's 5–2 win over Japan at the Montaigu Tournament in 2007. Sheppard also represented his country at U17 level where he scored after coming on as a substitute at Terryland Park in a 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round.[19]

In the elite phase of the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship elite qualification Sheppard played in all three games in the Ukraine as Ireland narrowly missed out on qualification.

Sheppard made a substitute appearance for the League of Ireland XI in a 7–1 defeat to Manchester United in the first game to be played at the Aviva Stadium in August 2010.[20]

In September 2010 he was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 national football team for the final 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifier in Turkey but did not make an appearance.[21]

Sheppard made his U21 debut in November 2011 in a 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship win over Liechtenstein.

Career statistics

As of match played 20 October 2013.[22][23]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Galway United 2010[24] League of Ireland 358310000 389
Shamrock Rovers 2011[25] 2410310010[lower-alpha 1]4 3715
Reading 2011–12 Championship 000000 00
2012–13 Premier League 000000 00
Total 000000 00
Accrington Stanley (loan) 2012–13 League Two 10100101[lower-alpha 2]0 121
Shamrock Rovers (loan) 2013[26] League of Ireland 265402110[lower-alpha 3]3 429
Shamrock Rovers 2014 00000000 00
Total 2654021103 429
Career total 952410231217 12934
  1. Five appearances and three goals in the Setanta Cup, five appearances and one goal in the Europa League
  2. Appearance in the Football League Trophy
  3. Six appearances and one goal in the Setanta Cup, four appearances and two goals in the Leinster Senior Cup

Honours

Shamrock Rovers

References

  1. "Connor adds three to his squad". Galway United FC. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  2. McDonnell, Daniel (14 May 2010). "Writers flock to praise Sheppard". Irish Independent.
  3. "Galway United 1–0 Bray Wanderers". Galway United FC. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  4. "Hoops scoop top young talent". Shamrock Rovers FC. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  5. "Shamrock Rovers win Setanta Sports Cup". Extratime. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  6. "Rovers hoping to make history in Europe". RTÉ News. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  7. "PAOK FC 2–1 Rovers". Shamrock Rovers FC. 20 October 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. "Karl Sheppard on Twitter". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  9. Malone, Emmet (12 January 2012), "Sheppard set to finalise move", The Irish Times
  10. "Sheppard & Williams Loaned". Reading F.C. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  11. "Carlisle United vs. Accrington Stanley". Soccerway. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  12. "Southend 0–1 Accrington". BBC Sport. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  13. "Sheppard returns to Reading". Accrington Stanley F.C. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  14. "Sheppard joins hoops on loan". Shamrock Rovers F.C. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  15. "Rovers 0–1 Coleraine". Shamrock Rovers F.C. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  16. "Shamrock Rovers 1–1 Sligo Rovers". Shamrock Rovers F.C. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  17. "Sheppard to stay at Hoops". Evening Herald (Dublin). Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  18. Kelly, Ryan (6 December 2013). "Karl Sheppard signs for Shamrock Rovers". Goal.com. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  19. "Ukraine 1–3 Republic of Ireland". UEFA. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  20. "Airtricity League XI 1–7 Manchester United". FAI. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  21. "Turkey U21 1–0 Republic of Ireland U21". FAI. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  22. "Karl Sheppard career statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  23. "Karl Sheppard". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  24. "2010 player stats". Galway United F.C. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  25. "2011 fixture list". Shamrock Rovers F.C. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  26. "2013 fixture list". Shamrock Rovers F.C. Retrieved 25 March 2013.

External links