2025 Arrivals and Departures

[nr637]

Cobh Ramblers FC confirm that the club and George Nunn (forward), have mutually agreed to terminate his contract to allow the player return home while welcoming back Matthew Whelan for the remainder of the 2025 season

[DonegalHoop]

John McGowan signed by Rovers. Looks a decent young striker, almost in the Johnny Kenny mould

[RealJohn91]

Leigh Kavanagh is the latest Bohs player to sign a new deal till the end of 2027. Haven't been that convinced by him so far. He only a young to be fair but he's not the best under a high ball and is prone to a mistake. Once Grehan goes back to Palace he'll have to step up and justify this faith the club has put in him.

[Martinho II]

John McGowan signed by Rovers. Looks a decent young striker, almost in the Johnny Kenny mould

Where was McGowan signed from DonegalHoop?

[placid casual]

Dungannon Swifts.
Was playing part time with them while he completed his studies ( in Queens, I think).
Wants to give playing full time a go and see if it sticks. 22 yrs old, so a good age and we'll see what happens with him.

[Martinho II]

Dungannon Swifts.
Was playing part time with them while he completed his studies ( in Queens, I think).
Wants to give playing full time a go and see if it sticks. 22 yrs old, so a good age and we'll see what happens with him.

Makes sense previous poster had a mistype as a John McGowan instead of a John McGovern!

[Buckett]

What's going on with Harp's transfer ban? There's not a whole lot of detail here.

https://www.donegallive.ie/news/soccer/1817892/finn-harps-to-fight-fifa-imposed-transfer-ban-over-training-compensation-claim.html

[dundalkfc10]

Alot of talk around Dundalk that Pat Hoban will be coming back next month on loan

[Another Bohemia]

Alot of talk around Dundalk that Pat Hoban will be coming back next month on loan

Interesting one that. Dont think hes getting a look in at Derry at all while being on what you would imagine are decent wages so it certainly makes sense to send him on loan but I cant imagine Dundalk having the spare funds to pay Hobans wages and I don't think he will take a pay cut this late into his career so are Derry going to be paying the majority of his wages just to get him out of the squad? If he's available on loan I would hope Bohs are enquiring, we need someone to get on the end of the chances we are currently creating. Plenty of players around the CF are doing the dog work at the minute but we arent putting the chances away and I think in this late stage of his career if you can get Hoban to stay forward and get on the end of moves he will still get goals at this level.

[2 Year Contract]

I can’t see Derry letting Hoban go to Bohs this summer, considering they’re one of the sides above them in the table

[Another Bohemia]

I can’t see Derry letting Hoban go to Bohs this summer, considering they’re one of the sides above them in the table

Fair point but if it means they can bring in Gareth Mcauley on a 6 month deal they might just have to do it! Jokes aside its just an area that I can see Bohs trying to target in the summer window and Reynolds has already said he wants to try to bring in players from within the league so they are game fit right away. I think fullback & winger are a bigger area of concern and we need to give one striker a run for a couple of months to try and get on a run of form, adding another striker to the mix may be counter productive.

[total hoofball]

What's going on with Harp's transfer ban? There's not a whole lot of detail here.

https://www.donegallive.ie/news/soccer/1817892/finn-harps-to-fight-fifa-imposed-transfer-ban-over-training-compensation-claim.html

Harry Nicolson is the only player I can make out signed by Finn Harps in 2022 who may have met the criteria for Under 23 training compensation, he made two cup appearances for Inverness and only 7 appearances for Harps

Details are indeed vague in the article but the quote on the sum being 'not insignificant' suggests a very tricky dispute for Harps to deal with at all angles

[sessylU]

I'd be gutted if Hoban left Derry, but it would be the correct end to what has been a pretty miserable time. I was so excited when he signed, he was going to be the missing link and fire Derry to the league. Probably a double. Probably a treble, because they'd bring back the league cup on account of how unbelievably good we'd be.

But it hasn't worked out like that. Brilliant player, still reckon he's the best forward at the club.

Would Galway be an option? Less likely to trouble Derry in the league, but good enough that Hoban could do favours for Derry against their rivals?

I think the first division would be a bit of a waste of his talents (but then, so is the bench at Derry) and Dundalk probably don't need him to walk to that title, surely?

[dundalkfc10]

I'd be gutted if Hoban left Derry, but it would be the correct end to what has been a pretty miserable time. I was so excited when he signed, he was going to be the missing link and fire Derry to the league. Probably a double. Probably a treble, because they'd bring back the league cup on account of how unbelievably good we'd be.

But it hasn't worked out like that. Brilliant player, still reckon he's the best forward at the club.

Would Galway be an option? Less likely to trouble Derry in the league, but good enough that Hoban could do favours for Derry against their rivals?

I think the first division would be a bit of a waste of his talents (but then, so is the bench at Derry) and Dundalk probably don't need him to walk to that title, surely?

He has a house in Dundalk. I've been told by someone well in the know that he's coming to Dundalk on loan and will be signing permanent at the end of the season

Was ridiculous that O Donnell let him go in the first place

[nr637]

Is it Hoobin or Hoban! :confused:

[TVFBLOCKF]

I'd be gutted if Hoban left Derry, but it would be the correct end to what has been a pretty miserable time. I was so excited when he signed, he was going to be the missing link and fire Derry to the league. Probably a double. Probably a treble, because they'd bring back the league cup on account of how unbelievably good we'd be.

But it hasn't worked out like that. Brilliant player, still reckon he's the best forward at the club.

Would Galway be an option? Less likely to trouble Derry in the league, but good enough that Hoban could do favours for Derry against their rivals?

I think the first division would be a bit of a waste of his talents (but then, so is the bench at Derry) and Dundalk probably don't need him to walk to that title, surely?

He's not coming to Galway. He turned us down a couple of seasons ago so JC won't be going back for him and we have another striker from abroad lined up. Also not sure why you think we are less likely to trouble Derry in the league given their form? We're three points behind them with almost the same goal difference.

[sessylU]

Also not sure why you think we are less likely to trouble Derry in the league given their form?

I said "less likely" and not "unlikely" for a reason. I was comparing Bohs to Galway as a possible PL destination following on from the discussion upthread.

To be honest, outside of Cork and Sligo, there's no-one that I would confidently say won't trouble Derry. I still haven't really got a handle on this team, nor have I got a handle on the league this year, it all seems a bit up for grabs from 2nd to 8th. I wouldn't be surprised if Galway finished above Derry.

Having said that, I hope that Derry kick on in the second half, bolster their problem positions and either challenge Shams or finish top of the rest. I'd imagine Bohs, Shels and Pats share that aspiration. Giving one of the most dangerous strikers in the country to either of those three teams would be a mistake.

[Another Bohemia]

Also not sure why you think we are less likely to trouble Derry in the league given their form? We're three points behind them with almost the same goal difference.

You're spot on there. If Derry can still overtake Bohs then equally Galway can overtake Derry. Neither of those scenarios happening would surprise me. I think Galway also have a more defined style of play (not necessarily the prettiest mind) but I get the feeling they will come out of their slump sooner rather than later. I think they can still trouble the European places if they can get the defence even half way back towards what they showed last season.

[Buckett]

You're spot on there. If Derry can still overtake Bohs then equally Galway can overtake Derry. Neither of those scenarios happening would surprise me. I think Galway also have a more defined style of play (not necessarily the prettiest mind) but I get the feeling they will come out of their slump sooner rather than later. I think they can still trouble the European places if they can get the defence even half way back towards what they showed last season.


We went back to a back four again. After four defeats in a row, we then beat Cork and followed that up with a point and a clean sheet in Tallaght. We have a couple of players lined up to come in so I'm hoping we can push on in the second half of the season. Byrne going back to Bohs is a big loss to us though

[Nesta99]

Kilduff has said there's no chance of Hoban being back at Oriel this Summer. You tend to take managers denying such rumours with a pinch of salt but ye dont really get that messing with Kilduff, O'Kane loan ruled out too if it was ever ever even a rumour.

[nr637]

So, i'ts slowly becoming Who....bin!

[2 Year Contract]

Harry Nicolson is the only player I can make out signed by Finn Harps in 2022 who may have met the criteria for Under 23 training compensation, he made two cup appearances for Inverness and only 7 appearances for Harps

Details are indeed vague in the article but the quote on the sum being 'not insignificant' suggests a very tricky dispute for Harps to deal with at all angles

Wouldn’t surprise me if Nicholson was the player in question. He was with Inverness before Harps and Inverness were in administration up until yesterday so it makes sense that they’d go down every possible avenue for money through desperation. Seem to have been in financial bother for a while now, the way they treated Aaron Doran last year was disgusting. Club captain with nearly 400 appearances for the club and ended up leaving him high and dry without required surgery that they were supposed to pay for before his contract ended

[joey B]

What kind of fee would be have to be paid in this kind of situation?

[ToberonaTornado]

Kilduff has said there's no chance of Hoban being back at Oriel this Summer. You tend to take managers denying such rumours with a pinch of salt but ye dont really get that messing with Kilduff, O'Kane loan ruled out too if it was ever ever even a rumour.
Seen that craic alright about rumours surrounding both hoban & o"Kane returns and he (killer)fairly shrugged those aside and proper too to make it clear that the club remains with a huge debt and that some guys are playing here for basically nothing(expenses & experience) and how he thought it would be difficult to bring in players on big wage even on loan while we have player getting sfa for their efforts.
Breath of fresh air to hear to hear especially when we're celebrating a €65,000 government grant for a toilet!!
Lots in the press also about former kit guy taking a wrc case😁
Got what he was offered in the first place 🙄


Anyway, as this is a rumours page -
JR Wilson to dundalk from Athlone

[outspoken]

Seen that craic alright about rumours surrounding both hoban & o"Kane returns and he (killer)fairly shrugged those aside and proper too to make it clear that the club remains with a huge debt and that some guys are playing here for basically nothing(expenses & experience) and how he thought it would be difficult to bring in players on big wage even on loan while we have player getting sfa for their efforts.
Breath of fresh air to hear to hear especially when we're celebrating a €65,000 government grant for a toilet!!
Lots in the press also about former kit guy taking a wrc case������
Got what he was offered in the first place ������

Anyway, as this is a rumours page -
JR Wilson to dundalk from Athlone

More WRC cases than functioning toilets in Oriel at this stage

[2 Year Contract]

Ian Ryan announced as Athlone’s new manager

[Onapointoforder]

Ian Ryan announced as Athlone’s new manager
He’ll have bailed by 1st July….

[Mr_Parker]

What's going on with Harp's transfer ban? There's not a whole lot of detail here.

https://www.donegallive.ie/news/soccer/1817892/finn-harps-to-fight-fifa-imposed-transfer-ban-over-training-compensation-claim.html

FIFA Clearing House is a minefield for clubs if they do not comply with the strict requirements that clubs have to follow. It has caught many clubs out, and while not always getting to the point of a registration ban, many clubs have had to pay out significant sums to other clubs. I was told that FAI clubs have collectively paid out way in excess of €1 million in recent times.

4 Welsh, 1 Scottish and 1 English club have gone on the banned register in recent months. So far the Scottish and 1 Welsh team have come off the list recently. To be on it, it could be either for an administrative failure to upload the required information and documents after warnings to do so have not been taken, or that payments due to other clubs identified through the process have not been paid within the required time frame.

[culloty82]

Theo Farquharson and Eemeli Honkola have been released by Kerry - the former's little surprise, given he was very much surplus to defensive requirements, but the latter's somewhat more so after Kelliher's injury, which leaves us short on out and out strikers in the squad.

[2 Year Contract]

Galway have signed Trinidad and Tobago international Malcolm Shaw. Sadly from a pun point of view he plays up front, rather than in the middle

[Longfordian]

Getting flashbacks to the late 90s when Eric Lavine, Luther Watson and Ryan Lucas (I think) arrived. I was in college there around that time and they made their mark in the nightclubs if not on the pitch. Eric Lavine aside, who was part of our best ever side and is a good guy.

[Eminence Grise]

Galway have signed Trinidad and Tobago international Malcolm Shaw. Sadly from a pun point of view he plays up front, rather than in the middle

Oh, I don't know about that. Given the spread of clubs and where he can line out ... Shaw's almost nationwide.

[Martinho II]

Getting flashbacks to the late 90s when Eric Lavine, Luther Watson and Ryan Lucas (I think) arrived. I was in college there around that time and they made their mark in the nightclubs if not on the pitch. Eric Lavine aside, who was part of our best ever side and is a good guy.

Yeah I do be in touch with Eric from time to time. A legend of a guy!

[Another Bohemia]

I see Cork have signed a defender in Fiacre Kelleher.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/0612/1518178-cork-bring-kelleher-back-home-after-lengthy-uk-spell/

From what I have seen of them they needed defensive reenforcements so I think this could be a good signing for them and help them pull away from Sligo a bit.

Also talk of Dom Thomas leaving Derry.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/derry-city-manager-little-quell-35379779

Can't say I've seen much of him to say whether he was a good or bad signing but generally good signings dont leave after half a season.

[outspoken]

Rumours on twitter that Dylan McGlade is Training with dundalk, I'd be stunned if they signed him

[joey B]

Will Patching joined Coleraine on a season long loan from Carlisle

[pineapple stu]

Hadn't realised he'd gone to Carlisle. What happened him there - injuries or just not good enough?

[2 Year Contract]

Hadn't realised he'd gone to Carlisle. What happened him there - injuries or just not good enough?
He made 10 appearances for them as they were relegated from League Two. He’s a fine player on the ball on his day but playing for a side in a lower league relegation scrap probably wasn’t a good choice of move in hindsight for him

[pineapple stu]

They had a decent run of form at the end of the season though under Mark Hughes - nearly saw them stay up. Georgie Kelly came back from injury to be in great form for example (5 in the last 6 games of the season).

Didn't make a squad after mid-March and looking at a Carlisle forum there's suggestions he was never fully fit and carrying a bit of weight, but I don't think he was actually injured/unavailable.

(On a separate note, soccerway was a great site for getting info on appearances - but there was an update last week and it's almost unusable now. Don't know am I the only one to see that. Bizarre stuff)

[2 Year Contract]

They had a decent run of form at the end of the season though under Mark Hughes - nearly saw them stay up. Georgie Kelly came back from injury to be in great form for example (5 in the last 6 games of the season).

Didn't make a squad after mid-March and looking at a Carlisle forum there's suggestions he was never fully fit and carrying a bit of weight, but I don't think he was actually injured/unavailable.

(On a separate note, soccerway was a great site for getting info on appearances - but there was an update last week and it's almost unusable now. Don't know am I the only one to see that. Bizarre stuff)

Yeah I noticed that myself, the Soccerway update is absolutely woeful and is now missing huge amounts of data for each player. Some shift from being an excellent resource to the current mess. Transfermarkt seem to have upped the quality of their appearance stats and have Leinster/Munster Senior Cup appearances included too which I haven’t seen from any other mainstream site

[Nesta99]

They had a decent run of form at the end of the season though under Mark Hughes - nearly saw them stay up. Georgie Kelly came back from injury to be in great form for example (5 in the last 6 games of the season).

Didn't make a squad after mid-March and looking at a Carlisle forum there's suggestions he was never fully fit and carrying a bit of weight, but I don't think he was actually injured/unavailable.

(On a separate note, soccerway was a great site for getting info on appearances - but there was an update last week and it's almost unusable now. Don't know am I the only one to see that. Bizarre stuff)

There have always been questions over Patchings effort and consistency, he was 50/50 at best when in a battle of a game. Unquestioned ability and should have been playing at higher levels. Its like he rated himself very highly and if a game wasnt technically good where he could play his game, he sulked and went quiet. Going to Carlisle was likely his best or only option as he really wouldnt have liked a bottom of L2 physical game every week. Even LoI isnt as raw and frantic as desperately trying to stay in league football. Luxury player in a good side.

[Longfordian]

Rumours on twitter that Dylan McGlade is Training with dundalk, I'd be stunned if they signed him

I'd almost forgotten about him. Very talented but never delivered on his potential. He had a great hot streak with us some years back and was fun to watch.

[Jd2793]

mcglade isnt good for your blood pressure, chap is as thick as a ditch.

[RealJohn91]

Word going around that Mousset has left Bohs. We got the Sligo goal out of him at least but he can't stay fit at all. If we're going to push Rovers we have to have someone we can rely on.

[Longfordian]

mcglade isnt good for your blood pressure, chap is as thick as a ditch.

He plays like a child in the school yard but, going back 7 or 8 years now, he was very entertaining to watch for a while.

[MoydowMonty]

McGlade will do a job in first division no bother. But I'd like to think Dundalk are preparing for premier next season, so I'm surprised they're looking at him. He won't dig ya out of a relegation fight.

Also Kyle O'Connor was captaining Athlone last night after he had been released 3 weeks ago. Not a word out of them that he had signed back. Athlone continue to work in mysterious ways

[ger121]

Word going around that Mousset has left Bohs. We got the Sligo goal out of him at least but he can't stay fit at all. If we're going to push Rovers we have to have someone we can rely on.

Seen that alright. Do need to sign someone in the window as Whelan is not exactly prolific either.

[holidaysong]

Dundalk have signed JR Wilson.

[Shearer]

Tommy Barrett confirmed the departure of Vojtech Ptacek (who returns to the Czech Republic) and David Tarmey (whose loan from Galway United has ended) post game last night.