It could be said that life following Torquay United is like riding a roller coaster, so it was perhaps apt that the Gulls would sign the nephew of Irish singer Ronan Keating.
However, United did indeed secure the signature of Ruairi Keating and his time at the club proved to be a series of highs and lows.
Having appeared as a forward for a series of clubs in the Republic of Ireland including Sligo Rovers, Galway FC and Finn Harps, he decided to try his luck with the Gulls as he signed for then manager Kevin Nicholson in February 2017 on non-contract terms.
Ruairi made his debut for the Gulls as a late substitute for Brett Williams against Macclesfield Town on February 11th 2017, but it wasn't long before he made his first significant contribution in a United shirt. A month later, he came off the bench to score a late winner against Southport after initially not travelling with the squad due to illness and only travelled on the day to make up the numbers. The win moved the Gulls out of the relegation zone.
Towards the end of the campaign, he then went on to form a useful strike partnership with the mercurial Brett Williams as the Gulls pulled off a second successive 'great escape'. Ruairi netted two further goals against Aldershot Town and champions elect Lincoln City away, and proved to be excellent foil for Williams, who scored four times in United's final three matches.
After securing their survival, Ruairi agreed a new deal with the Gulls but United didn't get off to the best of starts to the 2017-18 campaign and Nicholson, the manager who signed him, was sacked following a 4-2 home defeat against Boreham Wood - a game that saw Ruairi net both of the Gulls' goals. Unfortunately Nicholson's successor Gary Owers was unable to stop the rot as United were relegated to National League South at the end of the season.
Despite the Gulls' relegation, Ruairi remained at Plainmoor and played a key part in helping United adapt to life at a new level as he netted twice in the Gulls' 2-0 home win over East Thurrock United in their second home game of the season, which helped United to clinch seven points from a possible nine in their opening three National League South fixtures.
Sadly the Gulls weren't able to build on this start and Owers was sacked in the following September in the wake of a 1-0 home defeat to Chippenham Town. Within days of his departure, former Yeovil Town, Bristol City and Cheltenham Town manager Gary Johnson was unveiled as his successor.
Johnson's arrival galvanised a struggling team who were 14th in the National League South as United went on a club record run of 16 league games unbeaten, which culminated in a 4-0 win over Slough Town - and Ruairi was amongst the scorers. A month later, his late winner away to East Thurrock, which secured United a 2-1 win also proved to be an important moment in the context of the season.
Under Johnson, Ruairi often found himself deployed in a new position on a right-wing, a role which he adapted to fairly well. Before his substitution in the Gulls' 3-3 draw with Woking in April 2019, a result that was crucial in helping them to secure the National League South, Ruairi had provided the assists for six of United's previous seven goals - including an exquiste pass that set up leading scorer Jamie Reid up for the Gulls' opener that afternoon.
Back in the National League, Ruairi found himself in and out of the United starting line-up, but still managed to chip in with three goals - including a stunning strike from distance in the Gulls' 4-1 win over Woking on December 28th, 2019 in their final match of the decade.
His desire for first team football has prompted his impending move to National League North outfit Gateshead, managed by former United defender Mike Williamson, but as Johnson said following United's 2-0 win over Eastbourne Borough: "they can call each other champions for the rest of their lives'.
And Ruairi can certainly do that.
