New Town recruit Aaron Drinan has targeted a first team place in the coming weeks — and once he gets his chance he intends to make the most of it.
Drinan, 19, was signed from Waterford and although he only completed the paperwork last week he has been a familiar figure at the training ground, having been taking part in sessions alongside the senior players since October when TWTD revealed a €100,000 (£90,000) deal had been agreed with the League of Ireland Division One champions.
The young striker, an unused substitute in last week’s FA Cup third round defeat by Sheffield United at Portman Road, said: "It’s good to get signed up because I’ve been over here since October and not playing a game since then has been tough.
"I’ve been doing well in training and I got rewarded with a place on the bench as soon as I signed, so it’s all good.
"I played for the U23 team against Crystal Palace the other day and for the first 10 minutes I was blowing a bit because I couldn’t get my breath. No, it was good to get 90 minutes under my belt and hopefully I can kick on from there.
"Ever since I first arrived in Ipswich everyone has been good with me and the players have welcomed me on board. I wasn’t expecting it but I got involved with the first team straight away and they’ve been great with me.
"I’ve enjoyed the full-time training and done well so my next target is to get in the team.
"When I get a bit of game time, whenever that might be, I will be looking to show people what I can do and I’ll be aiming to stay in the team.”
Both manager Mick McCarthy and Luke Chambers spoke highly of Drinan recently, with the skipper quick to confirm how the newcomer was putting himself about in training.
"I’ve been standing on a few toes,” laughed Drinan. "I like to throw myself around a bit. In the first week or so it was a case of just getting used to being here but ever since then I feel I have got better and better each week and I believe I can only improve from here on.
"I’m in a more professional environment here and the standard of training is better, plus people are expecting more from me.
"It’s a big change to what I was used to in Ireland. I hadn’t been at Waterford for too long but it wasn’t difficult to make the decision to move on.
"Every kid in Ireland wants to join a professional club in England so when the chance came along I was keen to take it. I was looking forward to moving over here and getting going.
"Joining Waterford from Cork [in August] helped me because I played six or seven games of first team football — men’s football compared to what I had done before with the U19s at Cork. The experience I gained with Waterford helped me to settle in quite quickly here.
"I was over here on trial earlier in the year for a week and I came back again for another two or three days.
"Since then Ipswich had been watching me, looking at how I was doing and they confirmed they wanted to sign me.
"They were the first club to come in for me and as far as I know there weren’t any other English clubs interested in me.
"I’ve always wanted to come over and get a chance to play in the big leagues in England. Not that many get to do it, so I’m glad to be here.”
Drinan admitted the fact that McCarthy is in charge of Town was a major plus, adding: "Mick played for Ireland and managed Ireland so everybody over there knows him.
"It was good to know what he thinks of me and I’m delighted to have the chance of playing for him.
"I’ve also been putting in some extra work with Terry Connor, going out with him before training gets under way and staying on for a bit again when the session ends.
"A few times when I’ve missed the target he’s been on my case but he’s good and I enjoy working with him. He has helped me a lot with things like my movement.”