The latest updates from the League of Ireland
It’s been another busy 24 hours across the League of Ireland as new re-signings and announcements came from Clubs around the country.
Dundalk announced the arrival of 24-year-old midfielder Dara Keane from UCD as Stephen O’Donnell begins to add what he has described as a “good core” at Oriel Park for 2024.
“It’s a proud moment for me to sign for Dundalk FC,” Keane told dundalkfc.com after completing his move to Oriel Park.
“To sign for a club of Dundalk FC’s stature is a very special feeling. It’s a really exciting challenge and a challenge that I’m looking forward to. I feel like it’s come at the right time and stage in my career and I’m just eager to get going."
Louth neighbours Drogheda United were also busy with the announcement of Luke Heeney signing a new deal at Weavers Park.
Most of the rumblings came from the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division today as Sean O'Connell has re-signed for Kerry FC while Corey Chambers and Talia White put pen to paper for Treaty United for their men’s and women’s sides respectively.
Cobh Ramblers goalkeeper Darragh Burke, meanwhile, has re-signed for the 2024 League of Ireland season.
In the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, Jesse Mendez and Ellie O’Brien both re-committed to Cork City as Danny Murphy prepares for next season's campaign.
On the news front, Shelbourne Manager Damien Duff has kept the column inches going in the off-season suggesting his Reds side's securing of Europe was the biggest achievement in the League last year.
"We openly spoke about Europe last year and that's what we tried to instil straight away, it's an amazing achievement and probably unheard of, a First Division club coming up and to grow so quickly, maybe I'm biased but I have seen phenomenal growth on and off the pitch at the this club and long may it continue," Duff told shelbournefc.ie.
"I think we absolutely deserved to get Europe. People probably wrote us off all year and even at the start of the season but without doubt, and nobody will change my mind on it, I think it is the greatest achievement in League of Ireland football last year.
"Credit to Stephen [Bradley], he's got four in a row, credit to Jon [Daly] coming in and stabilising St Pat's and winning them the Cup, but the greatest achievement I think certainly goes down to our players and what they did.”
Shels meet Shamrock Rovers on the second night of the season in Tolka.
