DONEGAL OUTFIT FINN Harps have confirmed the signing of former Dundalk striker Ciaran O’Connor ahead of the 2018 League of Ireland First Division season.
The 21-year-old returns to the club after a loan spell there in the first half of 2017. From there, he saw out the season at Bohemians.
In 14 games with Harps, he scored five times.
“We’re pleased that he has agreed terms for next season,” manager Ollie Horgan told the club’s official website of the news.
“He’s still only 21 but has gained a lot of experience over the past four years in the League of Ireland so hopefully that will be a big help to Ciaran and ourselves in terms of the standard of teams we well be up against in the First Division.”
O’Connor rose through the underage ranks at Dundalk and broke into the first team set-up in 2013. He’s featured sporadically in the club’s successes of recent seasons.
He joined Warrenpoint Town on loan and scored five goals in 17 appearances there before returning to the Lilywhites for the 2015 season.
O’Connor has also had loan spells at Derry City and Longford Town, and made five League of Ireland appearances with Dundalk last year as they won their third title in-a-row.
He joined Finn Harps on a six-month loan deal in January.
Last month, the Dundalk native announced his exit from the club, saying:
“Of course I’m sad to leave as it’s my hometown club and there is nothing better than playing for your hometown team, but it’s important that I’m playing week-in-week-out now. This is why I have decided to move on and hopefully one day I get to put on that Dundalk jersey again in the future.”
Horgan’s sides’ promotion push was boosted earlier this month as he signed a new deal to stay on at the helm. They were relegated from the Premier Division last year.
The First Division season kicks off on 23 February 2018.
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