Played For Both

PLAYED FOR BOTH KEITH WARD

One of the more colourful characters to have played for both sides tonight was midfielder Keith Ward.

Widely regarded for his talent as a playmaker, Ward has a bubbly character and one who has been embraced throughout his career into every club and became part of the fabric of the club.

A player for UCD and was part of the fantastic Students side which gained promotion with some swagger back in 2009 winning the first division alongside players such as Ronan Finn, Ciaran Kilduff and Greg Bolger to name a few. That gave him a chance to showcase his talents in the Premier Division which led him to attracting the attention of numerous clubs including Dundalk where he chose to join.

In 2011, he had a good season and helped the Lilywhites reach the Setanta Cup final however a midtable finish and no silverware combined with a change of manager saw him venture on to Bohemians for

2012 and he played a key role in keeping them in the division.

Stephen Kenny’s appointment at Dundalk saw him make the return to Oriel and he was one of Kenny’s first signings in the revolution. He immediately nailed down a position in the team and his passing as well as guile was something which helped the side launch an unexpected title challenge. A rupture of his cruciate against St. Patrick’s Athletic in June 2013 saw him miss 11 months of action however he returned and played a part in our league title win in 2014.

One season at The Showgrounds followed under

Owen Heary and this allowed him to show his talents in the west in what was an up and down season for the side however Ward found consistency and Kenny Shields noticed him to take him to Derry City in 2016.

After a year north of the border, he has made Dalymount Park his home once more at Bohemians and has helped them become a consistent force at the upper echelons of the table. Still only 30 and an infectious character, Wardy will be around the league for years to come and is fondly remembered by both Dundalk and Sligo as a former player.