Raf gone to Bohs

**Redzer** · 30/11/2009, 3:30 PM

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/cr...d-1958969.html

SLIGO ROVERS star Raffael Cretaro is to leave the Showgrounds and join Shamrock Rovers, with former Ireland U21 cap P�draig Amond moving in the opposite direction.

Cretaro, 28, was one of the key strikers in the league last season, scoring 15 league goals for Sligo and he also helped them reach the FAI Cup final, and that form in front of goal -- only Gary Twigg and Jason Byrne scored more goals -- has attracted interest from other clubs.

Bohemians had made an effort to sign the Tubbercurry man but now it seems that Rovers boss Michael O'Neill has won the race to sign Cretaro.

Rovers will have a new-look squad next season as midfielder James Chambers has already signed from Drogheda United, Simon Madden, Darragh Maguire, Shane Robinson and Corey Tracey have been released, while keeper Barry Murphy is expected to officially sign for Bohemians tomorrow.

COMPETING

Sligo, who are set to lose defender Joe Kendrick to Finnish club FC Haka, are planning for next season and are expected to bring in striker Amond from Rovers, while they were also competing to sign Joseph Ndo from Bohemians, though Ndo is expected to either stay at Bohs or move to Sporting Fingal.

Meanwhile, keeper Shane Redmond says that his run of form with the Irish U21 side has helped him get ready for the demands of club football with League Two side Burton Albion.

Dubliner Redmond joined Burton on loan from Nottingham Forest in the summer but he made only his third appearance of the season on Saturday as Albion lost 1-0 to Gillingham in the FA Cup.

"Being able to go away with Ireland has done me good," said Redmond, who won his 15th cap at U21 level in the 4-1 defeat to Armenia in the European Championship qualifiers two weeks ago.

"Thankfully I have kept me place in their team and been the number one. I have played all the games in the qualifiers and it has done me the world of good.

"I have also been playing in the Albion reserve games and that has helped keep my confidence up," he said.

"It has been a tough wait for me. It was good to get back in on Saturday and show everyone what I can do."

**rovers100%** · 30/11/2009, 5:05 PM

i think amond would be a decent enough signing for us., was impressed with him a few times i seen him. raf may struggle at shams as big dublin side and full of jackeen ego's but i wish him all the best, just as long as never scores against us

**sligofan4ever** · 30/11/2009, 5:12 PM

Originally Posted by rovers100%

i think amond would be a decent enough signing for us., was impressed with him a few times i seen him. raf may struggle at shams as big dublin side and full of jackeen ego's but i wish him all the best, just as long as never scores against us

I wouldn't mind so long as he dosent celebrate it as if he'd never scored a goal before!

**CF1989** · 30/11/2009, 5:14 PM

think they'll have to airlift him into the stadium incase his head gets stuck in the door

**Well Red** · 30/11/2009, 8:11 PM

Are we likely to get any money for Cretaro or Kendrick or was Cretaro out of contract. Cannot blame the lad for wanting to join Shams and I wish him personally good success but think he will struggle to keep his place every week as he will be a small fish in a much larger pond

**avvenalaf** · 30/11/2009, 8:35 PM

Money for Kendrick? Money for Kendrick? We wouldn't get a book of Green Shield Stamps for Kendrick.

Incidentally, discovered recently that Shams fans HATE us calling them Shams. Just thought you might like to know what to call them, in future.

**CF1989** · 30/11/2009, 9:57 PM

dont see why people say they dont ave a problem with him wanting to go to shams. top scorer with his hometown club and a cult hero in the showgrounds. why else would he be moving other than money

**srfc1928** · 30/11/2009, 9:57 PM

Disappointed, but not as disappointed as I thought I would be.

**CF1989** · 30/11/2009, 10:14 PM

theres more to football than just money aswell though. id understand it if it was a player not from sligo. he's a hero here, he's broken out hearts as rovers fans imo

**sligorover** · 30/11/2009, 10:43 PM

Its a short career though. I can't hold it against him trying to make a bit more money out of it.

Other than money he possibly feels hes achieved all he can here. At Shams he will be challenging for the league and while I'd love to be proved wrong I can't see us challenging any time soon. Every ambitious footballer wants to win trophies and Rafs been here far too long with so little to show for it.

In a sense he has let us down, but this low doesn't come near to matching the highs he has provided us with over the past eight years or so. Good luck to him.

**bigredtruck** · 30/11/2009, 10:49 PM

It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is going, he has being touting himself about to clubs for the past few months, this is the first year that he has made team of the season and this is the way he repays paul cook and the sligo rovers fans, good luck to him, he'll need it. Hope he comes off injured for shams as easy as he did for us in the cup final, sore shoulder my a**e.

**CF1989** · 30/11/2009, 11:28 PM

think thats bull tbh what your saying about him not being badly injured.

**sligorover** · 30/11/2009, 11:48 PM

When you score the number of goals he has this year for a club fighting relegation 'touting' yourself isn't exactly necessary.

**SligoBrewer** · 01/12/2009, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by Red&White Rover

Lad is just making a living at the end of the day.

Football is a full-time job, people forget that.

Fair enough. Don't gesture towards the crest before you leave. It's just insulting.

Followed by

I've no problem with him leaving, but a little respect would have been nice.

**brianw82** · 01/12/2009, 7:06 AM

28 is a pivitol age for a footballer. For the first time, they realise that they have fewer years ahead on the pitch than they do behind. They have to take steps to fulfill their ambitions, or else possibly see them go unfulfilled. He can win the league at Shams next year, no doubt about that.

This thing about him having an ego is daft. People don't like to see him leaving so they have to pick up on something to hate. If shouting at teammates to play better is having an ego, then I wish more of our players did. Most of them needed a good kick up the arse for 2/3s of the season, to be honest.

**Only1Rovers** · 01/12/2009, 7:33 AM

Originally Posted by SligoBrewer

Fair enough. Don't gesture towards the crest before you leave. It's just insulting.

Followed by

I've no problem with him leaving, but a little respect would have been nice.

when did he show disrespect?

**gustavo** · 01/12/2009, 8:12 AM

Given the source of the article I would hardly take it as being a done deal

**Well Red** · 01/12/2009, 8:15 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Money for Kendrick? Money for Kendrick? We wouldn't get a book of Green Shield Stamps for Kendrick.

Incidentally, discovered recently that Shams fans HATE us calling them Shams. Just thought you might like to know what to call them, in future.

I fell out of my cot the first time I heard Shams dont like that name that why I love it.

**Well Red** · 01/12/2009, 8:19 AM

Originally Posted by bigredtruck

It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is going, he has being touting himself about to clubs for the past few months, this is the first year that he has made team of the season and this is the way he repays paul cook and the sligo rovers fans, good luck to him, he'll need it. Hope he comes off injured for shams as easy as he did for us in the cup final, sore shoulder my a**e.

Wow and thats your considered opinion. !!