Updated / Tuesday, 19 Jan 2021
06:54
Karl Sheppard: It s not fair to clubs for me to be playing when I can t be right.
Karl Sheppard has said he felt like he let Shelbourne down last season as the debilitating effects of psoriatic arthritis left him fatigued and in constant pain.
The striker announced his retirement from the game on Sunday aged just 29 due to a condition he has been living with for three years.
The Dubliner won league titles with Shamrock Rovers in 2011 and Cork City in 2017 along with two FAI Cups on Leeside in 2016 and 2017.
He moved to Shels from Cork City in November 2019 but by then he was feeling the impact of his arthritis.
Image: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
FORMER CORK CITY striker Karl Sheppard has been forced to retire from football at the age of 29.
Sheppard made the announcement today on social media, citing his being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis as the reason behind the premature end to his career.
“365 appearances and 89 goals later it is now time to hang up my playing boots. At 29 I should be in the prime of my sporting career, unfortunately 2 months after my best season, I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis”, wrote Sheppard.
“At first I didn’t think this would affect me, however the past two seasons have shown my body cannot meet the demands of professional football. I have tried everything during this time to stay injury free but this was an impossible task.”