Sporting Move For Keeps – Fingal Indenpendent
September 2, 2009
Sporting move for keeps?
Fingal Independent
Wednesday September 02 2009
FORMER Bohemians League and Cup doublewinning keeper Chris Konopka has been speaking about his move to Morton Stadium after signing for Sporting Fingal until the end of the season.
The 6ft 5in American native made his debut for Sporting reserves in their 2-1 ‘A’ Championship defeat by Shamrock Rovers last week, and was promoted to the subs bench for the first team’s trip to Waterford on Saturday.
Konopka, who spent his first professional season in 2007 with Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer back in the States, was understudy to League of Ireland Keeper of the Year Brian Murphy at Bohs last season, and is delighted to be back in Dublin. The move came about after an enquiry about the 24-year-old by Sporting’s goalkeeping coach and player Robbie Horgan.
‘Robbie contacted me a few weeks ago and explained his keeper situation to me and it all sounded very interesting,’ said Konopka.
‘We finalised the details on Friday July 25th and I landed in Dublin the following Tuesday morning and signed my contract that afternoon. My deal is until the end of this season but has the potential to be extended into the future.
‘Everything has been done first-class. Sporting is a well run club with a tremendous upside. My first training sessions with Liam Buckley, John Devine and Robbie were no-nonsense, all of the players here have a great attitude and the facilities and surroundings are excellent.
‘The team is challenging at the top of the table for promotion to the Premier Division and this is a very good environment for me to be in right now.
‘I am very proud to be a part of Sporting Fingal and will try to help them win promotion for next year any way I can. It also feels very good to be back in Ireland,’ Konopka added.
At collegiate level, the New Jersey-born player starred from 2003-2006 between the pipes at Providence College in Rhode Island, prior to becoming the first player from Providence to join a Major League team.