Shane Long

Infobox Football biography
playername = Shane Long


fullname = Shane Patrick Long
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1987|1|22|df=yes
cityofbirth = Gortnahoe, County Tipperary
countryofbirth =
Republic of Ireland
height = 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
position = Striker
currentclub = Reading
clubnumber = 24
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2004–2005
2005–
clubs = Cork City
Reading
caps(goals) = 12 (5)
70 (9)
nationalyears = 2006
2007–
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland B
Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 01 (0)
08 (3)
pcupdate = 12:19, 5 October 2008 (GMT)
ntupdate = 19:08, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Shane Patrick Long (born 22 January 1987) is a professional footballer with Reading. Before concentrating on soccer, he was an Under-18 hurler with Tipperary GAA in the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

Early career

Long was born in Gortnahoe, County Tipperary, Ireland. [cite news | date=2006-04-16 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2093-2136208_1,00.html | title=Treated like Royalty | work=The Sunday Times | accessdate=2006-05-17] . He was a talented hurler and appeared in two All-Ireland Minor (Under 18) semi-finals with Tipperary at Croke Park [ [http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/story/?trs=gbididkf Irish Post: The long way from Tipperary ] ] , being regarded as a pacey and promising forward. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2003/05/15/story510227459.asp Irish Examiner - 2003/05/15: Ruth keeps Tipperary in title race ] ]

Long was also playing soccer at this time, and started his career in the game with Tipperary club St Kevins's in 1998, joining St. Micheals in 2000. Soon after he was discovered and brought to Cork City with a scholarship on 1 July 2004 by Pat Dolan. When ready, Long was called to the first team squad for the 2005 season when manager Pat Dolan was replaced by Damien Richardson, and the new manager awarded him his senior début in the Setanta Sports Cup in March 2005. However, following Dolan's consultation with his brother, Reading coach Eamonn Dolan, Reading made bids for both Long and Kevin Doyle. Cork were forced to sell Doyle due to a contract clause, but the circumstances surrounding Long's transfer were not disclosed. Long signed as a Reading player on 7 June 2005.

Reading

In Reading's Championship-winning 2005–06 campaign, he scored three goals in 10 substitute appearances, making his first league start on 17 April 2006 in the 3-1 home victory against Stoke City. He also started all of the games in Reading's FA Cup campaign and scored one goal. [cite web | title=Reading Club stats | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/club_stats/default.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2006-06-03]

On 4 July 2007, Long signed an improved four-year contract to keep him at Reading until the end of the 2010–11 season. [cite news | date=2007-07-04 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1067116,00.html | title=Four new contracts agreed | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-07-07]

On 16 March 2008, in a 2-1 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool Long was involved in an incident as to where he flung his shirt to the ground, citing frustration at his performance and frustration with the match officials, after being subbed by manager Steve Coppell. In the post match interview, Steve Coppell made a stern point in that "It will not happen again." Long made a fulsome apology on the official club website. [cite web | date=2008-03-16 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1266249,00.html| title=Long apologises | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2008-03-18]

International career

Long's form for Reading in the 2005–06 season earned him four Republic of Ireland U19 caps. [cite web | title=Republic of Ireland: Under 19 - Squad Profile | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=75 | publisher=Football Association of Ireland | accessdate=2006-06-03]

Due to injuries to his Reading team mate Kevin Doyle and Sunderland's Stephen Elliott, [cite news | date=2007-02-06 | title=Long ready to make Republic debut | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6332277.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-07] he earned his first senior cap for the Republic of Ireland in their 2-1 win away to San Marino on 7 February 2007. [cite news | date=2007-02-07 | title=San Marino 1-2 Rep of Ireland | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6340553.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-07] When Long earned his second cap as a substitute against Slovakia on 28 March 2007 he became the first person to play both hurling and international football at Croke Park, having been part of the Tipperary team for the All-Ireland Minor semi-finals in 2003 and 2004. [cite news | date=2007-03-22 | title=Royals trio line up for historic match | url=http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/0275readingfc/0100news/tm_headline=royals-trio-line-up-for-historic-match&method=full&objectid=18791576&siteid=50102-name_page.html | publisher=Berkshire Regional Newspapers | accessdate=2007-04-10] [cite news | date=2007-03-22 | title=Republic of Ireland 1-0 Slovakia | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1886 | publisher=Football Association of Ireland | accessdate=2007-04-10] Long scored his first international goal in a friendly 1-1 draw against Bolivia on 26 May 2007. [cite news | date=2007-05-26 | title=Bolivia 1-1 Rep of Ireland | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/6690809.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-06-26] , and followed this with a brace in Ireland's 4-0 win over Denmark on 22 August 2007.

He has been nominated as the Football Association of Ireland "Young Player of the Year" for 2007. [cite news | date=2007-12-20 | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2738 | title=FAI and eircom announce nominations for eircom International Awards | publisher=Football Association of Ireland | accessdate=2007-12-20] [cite news | date=2007-12-20 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1195721,00.html | title=Duo up for player of the year | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-12-20]

References

External links

* [http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10306~33469,00.html Shane Long profile] at readingfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|41355|Shane Long

Persondata
NAME=Long, Shane Patrick
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=22 January 1987
PLACE OF BIRTH=Gortnahoe, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=