IT’S BEEN A busy day of transfers at Bray Wanderers FC with five new players signing for the Wicklow outfit and five others re-committing for 2018.
Former Ireland underage defender Sean Heaney makes the switch from Shamrock Rovers and Jake Kelly comes to the Carlisle Grounds for a third spell.
Paul O’Conor and Dylan Hayes sign for the club after stints at St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians respectively. Darragh Gibbons, who lines out as a defender, also joins from Rovers.
21-year-old Dubliner Heaney comes to the Seagulls fresh off a loan spell at Waterford, having helped them to win promotion to the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
Kelly kicked off his League of Ireland career at Bray in 2008 before lining out for Bohemians, Dundalk and St Pat’s. He makes the move back from Longford Town.
Joining the club for the 2018 season is Paul O'Conor who joins from St Patrick's Athletic & @SeanHeaney96 signs from Shamrock Rovers pic.twitter.com/IThQWv6Wq5
— Bray Wanderers FC (@BrayWanderers) January 5, 2018
Hayes returns to his hometown club. The 22-year-old took part in Bray’s pre-season matches last February but did not sign for the club, returning to Bohs.
O’Conor, who plays in midfield, finished the 2017 season with St Pat’s following a move from Limerick while 19-year-old Gibbons is another Ireland underage player, capped twice for the U17s.
The squad has also been bolstered by Gary McCabe, Conor Kenna, Hugh Douglas, Ger Pender and John Sullivan all re-signing ahead of the 2018 SSE Airtricity League campaign.
Returning to the Carlisle Grounds for 2018 is Gary McCabe pic.twitter.com/ia2q5uNNMV
— Bray Wanderers FC (@BrayWanderers) January 5, 2018
Dave Mackey’s Bray will be hoping for a fresh start this season after an adverse and, at times, bizarre 2017. They finished sixth in the Premier Division but suffered a host of controversies off the pitch.
New signings
- Sean Heaney
- Jake Kelly
- Paul O’Conor
- Dylan Hayes
- Darragh Gibbons
Re-signings for 2018
- Gary McCabe
- Conor Kenna
- Hugh Douglas
- John Sullivan
- Ger Pender
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
God luck to paul o Connor , onward and upward since limerick fiasco ???