ON THIS DAY

Ruairi Keating celebrates his 30th birthday

Dublin-born Ruairi Keating featured for Sligo Rovers, Finn Harps and Galway before being signed by Kevin Nicholson for Torquay in early 2017. The striker soon showed his energy and an eye for goal, bagging a late winner at Southport in March 2017 as the Gulls pushed to avoid relegation.

He stayed on at the club for the 2017-18, and became a regular squad member, playing 41 times, but with 24 of those coming from the bench, as Gary Owers struggled to keep United in the National League. Torquay were relegated but Owers offered the Irishman a 1 year deal to become part of his NLS squad for 2018/19.

The season started well for Ruairi, with 2 goals at home to East Thurrock giving cause for optimism, but before long it was goodbye to Owers and hello to Gary Johnson. With new recruits emerging, Keating found it difficult to hold down a spot in the team, but when called upon the enthusiastic attacker did his best to impact the games and his best performance for the club came in a late season win under the lights versus Chelmsford.

United secured the title and the Yellow Army appreciated his wholehearted efforts for the team. In early 2020 and with Keating only being used sparingly, he left to join Gateshead, but soon moved back to Ireland to play for Galway United. Since then he has represented Cork City, St Patricks and then Cork City again, doing well in the League of Ireland before an Achilles tendon in April saw RK out of action. A likeable lad who gave his all for the Gulls, get well soon Ruairi!