Shane Blaney reminded Motherwell team mate of Virgil Van Dijk as he sent Steelmen crashing out of Europe

02.01.2023 - 10:39 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Shane Blaney shattered Motherwell’s European dream with a showstopping free kick as Sligo Rovers stunned the Steelmen at the Showgrounds

Five months on from that 3-0 aggregate shocker and Well ace Paul McGinn is hoping the Irishman can conjure up more of his set piece magic to fire Well right back into the Euro fray. Blaney completed his move from Sligo to Fir Park last week and is in line for a quick fire debut at the heart of Well’s injury-hit defence against Livingston this afternoon.

But it’s not the 23-year-old’s ability in his own box that stick in McGinn’s mind. It’s his prowess around the opposition area. McGinn admits the free kick that sailed into Liam Kelly’s top corner from 30 yards was so good it brought back memories of facing Virgil Van Dijk who was fond of a spectacular hit from distance in his Celtic days.

And he said: “Hopefully he’s some sort of free-kick expert and can do that for us. We haven’t scored many free-kicks this season. Blair Spittal got one at St Johnstone but I don’t know if that counts as it took about five deflections on the way in! Shane hasn’t said much about the European game to be honest. Maybe when he has settled in a bit more he might get in a dig or two.

“I actually asked him if he had scored a free-kick before and he said no.. that pretty much summed up that game for us.

“We were chasing the game and then he stepped up, as a centre half, and he put it in the top corner.

“I’ve not played against too many who can do that, other than Virgil van Dijk, so he’s in good company.

“That goal killed the game for us straight away over there. They sat deep and we could have played all night and not scored.

“We didn’t have a wall as he was so far out and I was at the edge of the box and the minute