By Jinseong Kim
AFC Ann Arbor is delighted to confirm the signing of Sean Kerrigan ahead of the USL League Two campaign. Born in Ireland, Kerrigan will strengthen AFCAA’s Irish connection along with Ellie Ferguson on the women's side.
Born in Sligo, Ireland, Kerrigan spent his youth at Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps FC, both Ireland Premier Division sides. He was promoted to the Finn Harps first team squad in 2021 before moving to the United States, opting to pursue his academic and soccer career at a new location.
At Mercyhurst, the attacking midfielder had an impactful freshman season. Kerrigan didn’t miss a single game in the Lakers’ 12-4-2 run, resulting in reaching the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament. He recorded five goals and four assists, including a standout performance in 6-0 victory over Sheperd where he notched a goal and two assists.
“I am very excited to join Ann Arbor for the summer.” Kerrigan said, in discussing his general feelings on joining AFC Ann Arbor. “I have only heard good things about the team, management, and the place itself, and I am looking forward to experiencing it all for myself.”
Reflecting upon his first year at college, Kerrigan admitted it was not an entirely easy experience for him, including adjusting into a new playing environment. But he was able to earn positive takeaways from the hard process, and the Irishman is eager to inject his own personal brand of dedication into the club.
“My first year [of college] was the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. I've made friends for life and grown up a lot faster than if I would have if I stayed at home as I really put myself out of my comfort zone. I had a good season with Mercyhurst as a freshman and we are hoping to build on that and achieve more in the future.”
He would continue, “The biggest difference from Ireland is getting used to playing matches with only 2 or 3 days to recover. This was a change from home as I used to just play on weekends, and it was very hard on the body.”
“I would describe myself as a fast and direct team player with an eye for a goal. As a person, I would say I am hardworking and always up for a laugh.” Kerrigan said, discussing his attributes both on and off the pitch.
Club Sporting Director Eric Rudland expects Kerrigan to draw fans into the stadium with his attacking mindset. “Sean will be an exciting attacking player for our fans to watch. He’s very crafty & finds ways to pick up possession in pockets that wreak havoc on opponents. He comes to us on high recommendations.”
Kerrigan’s goal for the season was perfectly aligned with his attack-oriented style of play. “My goal for this season is to win as many games as possible with Ann Arbor and I want to help the team by scoring plenty of goals and getting assists.”
We, once again, would like to give a warm welcome to Sean Kerrigan ahead of this 2022 campaign.
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club Ann Arbor (AFC Ann Arbor) was founded in 2014 and competes in USL2 (men’s) and USLW (women’s) national amateur leagues. We are a community-based club, focused on equity, justice, and anti-racism. We consider all of our stakeholders, including supporters, players, staff, and ownership to be part of the #AFCAAFamily. Come On You Mighty Oak!