Keena looks forward to challenge as he puts pen to paper for Falkirk

As forecast by the Westmeath Examiner last week, Mullingar man Aidan Keena signed for Scottish League One side Falkirk on a two-year deal yesterday, saying that he is relishing the challenge of “getting stuck in” at Falkirk Stadium.

The former Hearts forward signed on undisclosed terms from English National League outfit Hartlepool, and will wear the Bairns’ number 9 jersey, recently vacated by top scorer Declan McManus.

“I’m happy to get it done, early enough as well. It’s only a couple of weeks till preseason comes about, so I’ve plenty of time to get settled in. I’m looking forward to it,” Keena told FalkirkFC.co.uk yesterday.

Among his teammates at Falkirk Stadium will be Conor Sammon, the former Derby County striker capped nine times for the Republic of Ireland.

Falkirk, who had both the best defence and attack in League One last year, were pipped to promotion by Raith Rovers, who lay a point ahead of second-placed Falkirk at the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Controversially, the Scottish FA allowed Raith to progress to the Championship, whereas Falkirk stay in Scotland’s third tier for another year.

Well-travelled Keena, still only 21 but brimming with confidence, now has the chance to establish himself as a proven goalscorer in a professional side with one eye on the future.

“I just take it as it comes, whatever the circumstances hand me,” he said. “In January, when England and Hartlepool came about, I saw it as a good opportunity. With circumstances off the pitch it makes more sense for me to be up here. But I’m open to anything.”

Keena is due to become a dad in October, and is looking forward to the twin responsibilities of settling into parenthood as well as the new leg of his career.

“I’ve played here before a couple of times, and there’s a great atmosphere. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in,” he added.

“I’ve had couple of friends who have come here before on loan from Hearts, and a couple of lads I’ve played with before have signed here, and are still here.

“Scoring goals is what I’m interested in. As many chances as I can get, I’ll score as many goals as I can. If I can get the chances, I’d fancy myself to score them. Any time I get a chance to score I’ll have a go, and luckily enough a few of them have gone in.”

Falkirk co-manager Lee Miller said of his new signing: “We are really, really pleased to secure the signature of Aidan.

“We have tracked him since we came into the club and we were actually interested in bringing him in during the January window. That didn’t materialise, but when the opportunity came up this time round we were determined not to miss out.

“Aidan’s a great type with natural ability and at the age of 21 we feel we can continue to improve him too.”

Miller’s co-manager Dave McCracken, added: “After losing a couple of players in forward areas at the end of the season we felt it was vital that we added at least a similar number in those positions.

“In Anton Dowds and now Aidan we feel we have a very potent attacking threat and two players who will work really well together as a partnership.”

Keena, a son of Martin and Julie Keena, Mullingar, started off his career as a schoolboy with Mullingar Athletic, winning U15 caps with the Republic of Ireland before garnering stints with the reserves at League of Ireland clubs Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic.

The striker was snapped up by SPL side Hearts in 2017 after attracting interest from clubs in both England and Scotland while plying his trade with the Republic of Ireland U19s.

Keena settled in well at Hearts, tearing it up for the Jambos’ U20 team and making, in total, 27 appearances, scoring five goals.

It was on the road in Scotland, however, that Keena really raised eyebrows. He impressed during a loan move to League One outfit Queen’s Park in 2018, scoring eight goals in 16 appearances, including a memorable long-range effort which saw him nominated for Scotland’s goal of the season award.

After a positive loan stint at Dunfermline, Keena returned to Tynecastle and last season, became a regular feature of Craig Levein’s match day squad, making 12 senior appearances and scoring three goals. His form also earned him caps in Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland U21 squad.

However, as Hearts’ season went awry, ending in relegation, the Mullingar man moved to Hartlepool in January, where he had just started to make an impact when the Covid-19 pandemic brought England’s National League screeching to a halt.