Sheerin is back with a vengeance

Sep 9 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

PAUL Sheerin admits he was on a downer after an amazing Saints sequence came to an abrupt end at Firhill.

Incredibly, the classy Perth midfielder had figured in 138 successive games in a run stretching back to August 2005.

So it was a culture shock being reduced to observer status as the McDiarmid side crashed 4-0 to Partick recently.

But Sheerin was restored for the midweek cup tie at Livingston and played an influential role coming off the bench against Clyde before the international break.

Yesterday, Sheerin was listed in a first-team squad which played Hearts at Tynecastle behind closed doors. It was a game designed to give fellow midfielder Jody Morris a run before the weekend trip to Dingwall.

But sadly for Saints the Englishman was forced to leave the field before half-time. The hamstring was giving him niggling pain and will now require further attention.

Manager Derek McInnes gave most of his squad game time, but skipper Kevin James is also giving cause for concern. The influential defender wasn’t risked and, sadly, the odds are now tilted against a return for the influential duo against Ross County on Saturday.

James recently underwent a cartilage operation and McInnes said: “He is still getting some discomfort and we want to get to the bottom of it. Maybe he has been pushing himself too hard. The doc has told him to rest for a couple of days.”

Sheerin, however, has recovered from an ankle injury sustained at Livi and aggravated in a closed doors game with Rangers.

And reflecting on the end of a remarkable appearance sequence, a player McInnes has hailed as the model professional admitted: “John Connolly was the manager the last time I was left out of the squad completely and I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt. There was a sense of embarrassment when I wasn’t involved.

“But the gaffer had big decisions to make on the back of the results we’d had. I couldn’t really grumble.

“It was the same after I took the ankle knock in the first-half against Livi. Liam Craig came on and did really well so he kept his place against Clyde.

“It was good being back in the scheme of things rather than sitting in the stand. That was really frustrating and the result at Partick didn’t help. But I knew I had to react positively to the end of a run going back to John Connolly’s time in charge here.”

Sheerin has been given command of the Perth youths and they’ve bagged 33 goals in their last five games.

He said: “They have been doing very well. I still haven’t got into a firm routine and I’m toning things down a bit later in the week to prepare for first team games.”

Saints face demanding journeys to Ross County and Queen of the South before Dundee come to McDiarmid.

And Sheerin admitted: “We definitely want to get back to winning ways. We have two massive away games and the derby takes care of itself. We really could do with points before the Dundee game.”

Former Chelsea midfielder Morris was keen to test the hamstring tear which has kept him sidelined so far this season but he only got a brief run against Hearts. Other injury victims Kevin Moon, Kevin Rutkiewicz and Gavin Swankie all featured.

Sheerin said: “It would be good to get Jody and Kevin back. They have a real presence out on the park. It’s not just about footballing ability. They are both leaders.

“It’s been a frustrating time coming off a disappointing defeat from Clyde but we’ve had a chance to right the wrongs. Hopefully we can get going again up in Dingwall.”