The latest acquisition at Lár na Páirce museum, Thurles, is Shane Long’s international soccer jersey, which he wore at Croke Park.
Tipperary’s first international soccer player Shane Patrick Long was born on 22nd January 1987 and is a son of Anne and the late Eamonn, Springfield, Gortnahoe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Recalling his hurling days, Shane said, ‘My mother took me to watch nearly every game Gortnahoe/Glengoole were playing, you’d always see me on the pitch at half-time pucking around so it started from there, I suppose. The first year I played with the Tipperary minor hurlers was 2003 and we got to the All-Ireland semi-final having won the Munster championship on the way. We beat Cork in a great game in Semple Stadium but we lost to Galway up in Croke Park. The following year, we lost the Munster final to Cork by two points. I remember they went for a goal from 40 yards out in the last minute when they were a point down and they scored it. I couldn’t believe they didn’t go for the point to make it a draw. We got to the All-Ireland semi-final again but we lost to Kilkenny by a point’.
First to play inter-county hurling and international soccer at Croke Park
Shane continued, ‘They were hard games up in Croke Park, the first two games I played there, but the third time I got there in 2007 I was playing soccer for Ireland against Slovakia and that was a good result. I didn’t really know about becoming the first person to have played both inter-county hurling and international soccer at Croke Park when it was happening. But after the game one of my best friends rang me up and told me – it’s definitely a nice little thing to look back on. It’s an amazing feeling putting on the jersey for your county (Tipperary). You work with your club every night and put a lot of sweat into getting that county jersey. It’s the same for the soccer except in Croke Park there’s 70,000 fans shouting for you and not 35,000 shouting against you. That’s the only difference but there’s a great atmosphere up in Croke Park. When I’m 35 or 36 I could go back and play junior hurling for Gortnahoe/Glengoole – you never know’.
A multi talented sportsman
Shane Long, a multi talented sportsman, won both the 100m hurdles and 250m hurdles at the 2002 All-Irelands in Tullamore, and the same year he won the Celtic Games U15 80m hurdles, all as a member of the Slieveardagh AC. Shane was also a keen Badminton player winning a County Tipperary U/15 doubles title with Grange his local Badminton club.
GAA Successes
With Gortnahoe/Glengoole
Shane Long won several underage titles in both hurling & Football, listed below, but the highlight of his juvenile career was undoubtedly the winning of the Mid & County Tipperary U/16’A’ Hurling & Football double in 2001 with his club Gortnahoe/Glengoole.
Hurling: 1999 & 2000 Mid & County Tipperary U/14’B’
2001 Mid Tipperary U/14’B’
2001 Mid & County Tipperary U/16’A’
2004 Mid Tipperary U/21’B’
Football: 1996 Mid Tipperary U/12’B’
1998 Mid Tipperary U/14’B’
1999 Mid Tipperary U/14’A’,
2000 Mid & County Tipperary U/14’B’
2001 Mid & County Tipperary U/16’A’
2002 Mid Tipperary U/16’A’
2003 Mid Tipperary Minor’A’
Intercounty withTipperary:
Munster Minor Hurling Championship winner in 2003 also played in two All-Ireland Minor Hurling Semi-Finals in 2003 & 2004. Shane also played Minor Football for Tipperary in 2003.
Liam Sheedy (All-Ireland winning manager with Tipperary Minor & Senior Hurling teams)
“Shane Long was the one I lost. I was sad to lose him too because he was a cracking player. Without a shadow of a doubt he’d have been involved with Tipperary in 2010 (All-Ireland Senior Hurling champions), he was an exceptional talent.”
Youth Soccer Career
1994–2002 Two-Mile-Borris St. Kevins
2002–2004 Saint Michaels Tipperary
2004 Cork City
Club Soccer Career
Cork City
Long was brought to Cork City on a scholarship on 1st July 2004.
Reading
On 7th June 2005 Shane Long signed for Championship side Reading, making his first league start on 17th April 2006 in the 3–1 home victory against Stoke City.
He scored his first Premiership goal for Reading v Sheffield United in January, 2007.
West Bromwich Albion
On 9th August 2011, Shane Long signed for Premier League side West Brom, with some estimates valuing the move at more than £10m a record for West Bromwich Albion.
Hull City
On 17th January 2014, Shane Long signed for Hull City on a three-and-a-half year deal.
Southampton
On 14th August 2014, Shane Long signed a four-year contract with Southampton.
International Soccer Career
He has four Republic of Ireland U/19 caps, and was also capped at U/21 level. He got his first senior cap in the Republic of Ireland’s 2-1 away win to San Marino on 7th February 2007. On 28th March 2007, Shane came on as a substitute against Slovakia and entered his name in the history books by becoming the first ever player to play both Hurling and International soccer in Croke Park.
In May 2007 he scored his first international goal in a 1-1 draw against Bolivia.
On 29 May 2013, Long scored his ninth goal for Ireland, one to relish, a header against England in a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.
Honours
Football League Championship with Reading in 2005/06 season.
FAI International Young Player of the Year 2007
Nations Cup with Republic of Ireland in 2011
Reading: Player of the Season 2010/11, Man of the Match v Cardiff City 17th May 2011
FAI International Goal of the Year 2013 vs. England
Captained Ireland for the first time on 2nd June 2013 in 4-0 win over Georgia
Southampton: scored 2014/15 Goal of the Season against Aston Villa on 16th May 2015.
In June 2013, Shane married girlfriend Kayleah Adams in Enniskerry in County Wicklow.
