Former Hartlepool United striker Aidan Keena has returned to Ireland to sign with St Patrick’s Athletic. The Irish forward heads back home after spending the last 18 months at Cheltenham.
Keena, who made his professional debut for St Pat’s as a teenager, had a stint in Scotland, England, and Ireland. After joining Hearts in 2017, he impressed on loan with Queen’s Park, scoring eight league goals in 14 games, and Dunfermline, where he netted four times in 12 matches.
His strong performances in Scotland caught the eye of then-Hartlepool manager Dave Challinor, who signed him following an unsuccessful trial at local rivals Darlington. Keena, a Republic of Ireland under-21 international by that time, scored twice in eight National League games for Pools, including a memorable late winner at Solihull Moors.
In August 2020, he returned to Scotland to play for Falkirk before moving back to Ireland with Sligo Rovers. Keena had a prolific first season at the Showgrounds, scoring 18 league goals and two UEFA Conference League goals, including the winner against Scottish side Motherwell.
His impressive form led League One side Cheltenham to pay a rumored club-record £71,000 to bring him back across the Irish Sea in January 2023. His six goals, including four in the final four games, helped the Robins avoid relegation. However, he struggled in his second season, scoring just once in 46 games as Cheltenham were relegated to League Two despite a resurgence under former Pools promotion-winner Darrell Clarke.
Keena now returns to St Patrick’s, who are seventh in the League of Ireland Premier Division, and will reunite with manager Stephen Kenny, who handed him his debut for the Republic of Ireland under-21s in 2019.
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