It may be still quite early in the squad building process for the 2018 SSE Airtricity League, but already some teams have made notable moves. The transfer merry-go-round is likely to churn out a number of surprises before the big kick-off in Febr
It may be still quite early in the squad building process for the 2018 SSE Airtricity League, but already some teams have made notable moves.
The transfer merry-go-round is likely to churn out a number of surprises before the big kick-off in February, although there is reason to be upbeat about a few of those that have already been unveiled.
Here are 11 signings who could prove to be important players for their new clubs:
Stephen McGuinness (Cabinteely)
If a team starts with a dependable shot-stopper then they have every chance of being successful further up the pitch and that, surely, was the thinking when Cabo signed up McGuinness. A stand-out for Drogheda United last season, his best years are still ahead of him but already he is showing signs of becoming one of the most exciting goalkeepers in the League.
Barry McNamee (Cork City)
With Stephen Dooley departed for Coleraine, McNamee is the perfect replacement. They are slightly different players but this fleet-footed midfielder offers the same kind of work-rate and ability to fill many positions as Dooley did. Plus he’s got an eye for goal and links play superbly.
Ronan Murray (Dundalk)
If the top two teams in the country are scrapping for your signature then it’s surely a sign that big things lie in wait for you. Murray was excellent for Galway United last term and displayed a lot of defence-splitting ability that saw him break through at Ipswich Town some years ago. Can he hit double figures in goals?
Ryan Connolly (Galway United)
And so he returns! Connolly was captain and Player of the Year when he departed Eamonn Deacy Park for Shamrock Rovers so it is only naturally for Galway supporters to be excited about his comeback. An industrious midfielder with a creative spark, he should instantly become the driving force that the team needs.
Danny Morrissey (Limerick)
There is no doubt that Morrissey can score goals at this level – he netted nine for Cork City in 2013. But he must rediscover his sharpness inside the opposition’s penalty area. Service from Daniel Kearns and Chiedozie Ogbene should assist him in that pursuit and it may result in him becoming an important player for Limerick.
Shane Elworthy (Longford Town)
Once on the books with Fulham, this talented youngster offers energy and versatility to Neale Fenn’s side. He clocked up minutes with Drogheda United in 2017 but he should emerge as a more consistent performer if trusted by the First Division promotion hopefuls.
Greg Bolger (Shamrock Rovers)
Perhaps the one thing missing from The Hoops’ squad last season was a midfielder with the kind of bark and bite that puts fear into the opposition. Bolger has proved in recent years that he is amongst the very best operators in the engine room in this League and he should act as the fulcrum around which more creative players can flourish.
David O’Sullivan (Shelbourne)
He has done it with Longford Town, now O’Sullivan is tasked with being a prolific finisher for Shels. Owen Heary knows that any promotion bid rests on the Dubliner leading from the front with a steady return of goals, so it is crucial that his team keep the service plentiful and consistent into him.
David Cawley (Sligo Rovers)
Back to The Showgrounds, where he played the best football of his career to date, Cawley might feel that he has a point to prove. It didn’t really happen for him at Galway United last season – not that he was bad, he just wasn’t exceptional and that is what we have learned to expect from such a dynamic midfielder who is just as good breaking up play as he is starting counter attacks.
Simon Madden (St Patrick’s Athletic)
Experience counts for a lot in this League and Madden brings plenty of that with him to Inchicore. Whilst with Shamrock Rovers he was one of the best attacking full-backs around and that fondness of breaking forward will surely see him link up well with Conan Byrne on the right flank.
Bastien Hery (Waterford)
The Frenchman could do with adding more goals to his game and it will be interesting to see where The Blues deploy him in their midfield. Yet, his knack of controlling the ball in tight areas and releasing team-mates into space enables him to subtly dictate the tempo of a game with a casual swagger that defines him.
