Joe Shaughnessy sure he made right choice with new contract at Aberdeen

Published on 13/12/2012 00:00

IF JOE Shaughnessy needed any reassurance that he had done the right thing in signing a new contract with Aberdeen, he got it on Tuesday night.

Four days after agreeing a contract extension until 2015, the Irishman scored his team’s second in their 2-1 Scottish Cup replay win at Motherwell. It was the 20-year-old’s first competitive goal for the club, and confirmed to him his impression that Pittodrie is the ideal place to continue his development.

“When I signed my last contract for two years my main aim was to push on and get close to the first team,” he said after a result that took Aberdeen through to a fifth-round tie against Hibs.

“That’s happened, so when I was offered another two years it was an easy choice for me. I don’t see many better places for me to develop as a player while getting a chance in the side.”

Having already won at Easter Road this season, Shaughnessy thinks Aberdeen have nothing to fear in the next round. Indeed, he believes his team can go all the way in the tournament, which they last won in 1990.

“It’s not been a bad week and it’s good to have ended it with the goal that takes us through to the next round. The next round will be another tough tie away from home and, although we’ve won there already, it was another close game.

“I think there’s definitely a good feeling about this competition this year – there’s a good feeling around the club in general. We’re doing a lot better in the league than we have done in previous seasons and I don’t see any reason why we can’t go all the way in the cup.

“I don’t know why our results away from home have been better because we haven’t been performing that badly at Pittodrie, but we do feel quite comfortable on the road and we have a great travelling support.”