GALWAY UNITED HAVE confirmed the signing of previously capped Republic of Ireland defender Greg Cunningham after he completed his contract with Preston North End in the English Championship.
Cunningham returns home to Galway where he began his career at Cregmore and Mervue United before moving to Manchester City at the age of 16 in 2007.
Now 33, Cunningham earned four caps for his country between 2010 and 2013 and made over 350 appearances in the top three divisions in England throughout his career across the channel.
Cunningham, who can play as a centre-back or left-back, spent the last four years at Preston, for whom he made 12 appearances in the Championship during his final season.
“I’ve always given everything every time I’m on the pitch,” Cunningham said. “I think I understand the game quite well. I’ll just try to give everything to the club and help share my experience with the boys.
“It’s really important to help the younger players as much as I can, trying to improve everyone as you go along.”
Cunningham made two Premier League appearances for Manchester City at the end of the 2009/2010 season before enjoying loan spells at Leicester and Nottingham Forest.
He moved to Bristol City on a four-year contract in 2012/13 and suffered relegation to League One during his first season but he was also part of the squad that gained promotion back to the Championship in 2014/15.
Cunningham would enjoy the best years of his career at Preston, where he had two spells spanning seven seasons. He became a fan favourite at Deepdale until the conclusion of his contract this summer, at which stage Cunningham decided to return home to Galway and play for the first time in the League of Ireland Premier Division.
Elsewhere today, Sligo Rovers announced the signing of Arsenal midfielder Jack Henry-Francis on loan until the end of the season. The 20-year-old ‘box-to-box’ midfielder joined the Gunners in 2016 from Fulham when he was 13.
Henry-Francis has played underage for Ireland and qualifies internationally through his parents’ Mayo and Leitrim heritage.
Dundalk have also revealed today that they have signed Aodh Dervin from Galway United. The 24-year-old Longford native arrives on a permanent deal.
He progressed through the ranks at his hometown club before joining Shelbourne ahead of the 2022 season.
A loan spell back at Longford Town followed before he moved west to Galway in July 2023, helping the club to promotion last season.
