DANNY MANDROIU HAS returned to Shamrock Rovers until the end of the season, two years after leaving the club for Lincoln City.  

The 25-year-old goes straight into the squad (subject to clearance) for Thursday’s UCL playoff against PAOK in Greece. 

“We’re absolutely delighted to have a player of Danny’s calibre and level back at the club,” Stephen Bradley, Rover’s head coach, said. 

Bradley added: “We all know how good Danny was for us before he left. He was brilliant on and off the pitch.

“We kept in touch and have a good relationship so I’m absolutely delighted to have him back. We know Danny had other options, elsewhere and away so the club have worked hard to make it happen and made it happen so I can’t wait to get him started again at Rovers.”

Mandroiu said: “It’s great to be back at Rovers for the next five months.”   

He added: “Playing in the group stages of a Uefa competition appeals massively to me. It is something that very few professional footballers get to experience during their career, and to do it with my great team mates at Rovers in front of such unbelievable fans is going to be special.” 

Meanwhile, Waterford FC’s Darragh Leahy is free to play against Derry City on Friday after having a red card overturned. 

Leahy was shown a red card during his side’s FAI Cup clash against Athlone Town last Friday, 16 August. 

However, an appeal by the club was successful and Leahy is available for selection in the second-against-third game at the RSC on Friday.