2025 Arrivals and Departures

[Neish]

https://finnharps.ie/harps-sign-mcguinness-from-stoke-city/

Where does it mention loan Neish? Can you show us the bit where Harps announce a loan signing here?

It doesn't, now can you point me to where it says anything about a transfer?

[Neish]

It doesn't explicitly - though that in itself may be telling - but the wiki article I linked has it under transfers rather than loans.

you do realise wikipedia is not to be taken as 100% factually accurate?

[TVFBLOCKF]

It doesn't, now can you point me to where it says anything about a transfer?


https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-transfer-dara-mcguinness-9897607

[pineapple stu]

you do realise wikipedia is not to be taken as 100% factually accurate?
It has a reputation for being very accurate generally.

Certainly if the choices are "It's a permanent deal because that's on wiki" and "It's a loan deal because the article mentions a previous loan to a different club in a different country", I'll go with the former


https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-transfer-dara-mcguinness-9897607
That article also says "Stoke have also sent 18-year-old centre-back Freddie Anderson out on loan to Ireland, where he will play for Cork City for the season" so I think we can take it the McGuinness move isn't a loan or it would have been called out too.

[De Town]

It doesn't, now can you point me to where it says anything about a transfer?

What a really strange hill to die on!

[2 Year Contract]

Derry apparently close to agreeing a deal with English striker Dipo Akinyemi. Adding to Boyce, Mullen and Hoban already at the club in that position. Certainly looks like Hoban and or Mullen are on the way out

[nigel-harps1954]

https://finnharps.ie/harps-sign-mcguinness-from-stoke-city/

Where does it mention loan Neish? Can you show us the bit where Harps announce a loan signing here?

It was originally due to be a permanent transfer, as I understand it, but due to some sort of contract issue with his Stoke release, it was eventually done as a loan.

[cláirseach]

What a really strange hill to die on!

Some folk take it as their job to defend their club online at all times, no matter what.

Harps unfortunately have a record over the past two and a bit years of, I'll be generous and say unclear, communication - clubs added to new signing's cvs for whom they were never registered, skipping over spells to a more impressive most recent club etc. It's not important stuff I suppose. The current 'misunderstanding' about the cost of the ground / what would be delivered with the previously announced target is a little more important.

[sessylU]

Obligatory joke about the 28 year old new signing being a bit young for Derry, one for the future, etc.

[joey B]

Pat Hoban heading to Glentoran for an undisclosed fee,Kevin Holt also departing according to the Derry Journal…

[2 Year Contract]

Pat Hoban heading to Glentoran for an undisclosed fee,Kevin Holt also departing according to the Derry Journal…
Just realised Hoban is 34 in a couple of weeks. I had thought he was a few years younger than that

[oriel]

Probably a good move for him, should score goals and will be a starter for Glentoran.

Yes the years caught up on him, he was 32 when he left Dundalk, what a brilliant servant he was over 8 split seasons, missed 2015-2017 period including the highs of EL 2016 group stage journey as he was in League 2 in Eng, even now still think that was a crazy move, Oxford U / Mansfield.

[2 Year Contract]

Probably a good move for him, should score goals and will be a starter for Glentoran.

Yes the years caught up on him, he was 32 when he left Dundalk, what a brilliant servant he was over 8 split seasons, missed 2015-2017 period including the highs of EL 2016 group stage journey as he was in League 2 in Eng, even now still think that was a crazy move, Oxford U / Mansfield.

Looking at his career, I just noticed he was released by Mansfield in the summer of 2017 but was out of the game for 6 months before returning to Dundalk ahead of the 2018 season. Was there a reason for that half season out of the game? Maybe waiting for another offer from a UK club or was it injury related?

[Shearer]

Patrick Ferry signs for Treaty United after departing Finn Harps lately.

[joey B]

Patrick Ferry signs for Treaty United after departing Finn Harps lately.

Wish him the best but misses too many chances,him and McHugh didn’t get on AFAIK so I guess it’s for the best he moved on…

[2 Year Contract]

Patrick Ferry signs for Treaty United after departing Finn Harps lately.

Nah it’s only on loan ;)

[nigel-harps1954]

Patrick Ferry signs for Treaty United after departing Finn Harps lately.

Story has strangely disappeared from Treaty socials and their website.

[brendy_éire]

Pat Hoban heading to Glentoran for an undisclosed fee,Kevin Holt also departing according to the Derry Journal…

Hoban never really reached his potential with us. Under Higgins, we didn't play in a way that suited him. He'd often end up going into the middle of the park just to try and get some possession.
Then with Lynch, we played in a way that maybe would have suited him, but he just never got the game time. He was injured for a well, but still.

Kevin Holt's missus isn't settled and wants to go back to Scotland. Would be disappointed to see him go, but we'd have a huge chunk of extra wages to use.

[2 Year Contract]

Hoban never really reached his potential with us. Under Higgins, we didn't play in a way that suited him. He'd often end up going into the middle of the park just to try and get some possession.
Then with Lynch, we played in a way that maybe would have suited him, but he just never got the game time. He was injured for a well, but still.

Kevin Holt's missus isn't settled and wants to go back to Scotland. Would be disappointed to see him go, but we'd have a huge chunk of extra wages to use.

What were your expectations for him if being joint top goalscorer in the league wasn’t reaching potential?

[cláirseach]

Story has strangely disappeared from Treaty socials and their website.

This was so odd. The local papers had picked up on it already. They have announced another one since.

[joey B]

This was so odd. The local papers had picked up on it already. They have announced another one since.

FWIW FAI Connect has him as a Treaty player……

[culloty82]

Robbie Cleary joins Kerry from Salford, but spent last season at FC United and Bamber Bridge, not exactly pulling up trees with either club:

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/fc-united-of-manchester/appearances/2024-2025/robbie-cleary/974365

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/bamber-bridge/appearances/2024-2025/robbie-cleary/981589

[outspoken]

Still goes to show where Kerry are now that they can get lads on loan from EFL clubs and obviously house them. Very few other FD clubs wiould be able to do that.

[2 Year Contract]

Harps have signed Brazilian keeper Lorenzo Piaia who was last playing in the fifth tier in Spain. At last the transfer window has delivered the exotic random signing we all love :)

https://finnharps.ie/harps-sign-lorenzo-piaia/

[brendy_éire]

What were your expectations for him if being joint top goalscorer in the league wasn’t reaching potential?

15 goals in 37 games in 2024, three of which were penalties. One goal from eight this season, a penalty.

Last season, I had, naïvely, thought that our creativity would give him much, much more of the ball than he ever got. I expected 20+ TBH.
Instead, we regressed in our creative play, and he sat up front, isolated.
This season, I thought himself and Boyce up front would be a great team, but he's barely played.

He's wasted a year and a half at us, and it's our own fault.

[2 Year Contract]

15 goals in 37 games in 2024, three of which were penalties. One goal from eight this season, a penalty.

Last season, I had, naïvely, thought that our creativity would give him much, much more of the ball than he ever got. I expected 20+ TBH.
Instead, we regressed in our creative play, and he sat up front, isolated.
This season, I thought himself and Boyce up front would be a great team, but he's barely played.

He's wasted a year and a half at us, and it's our own fault.

Fair enough, he’s only scored 20 or more league goals twice in his career though so doing that at 32/33 was unlikely. From an outsiders point of view he did pretty much exactly what I expected he would do last year, knock in 15 goals and become top goalscorer in the league.

Dan McDonnell is reporting that Derry are after Rob Slevin, hoping to get him this month and if not it’s looking like they’ll get him in November for free. Would be a big loss to Galway

[placid casual]

John O'Sullivan gone to Drogs from Rovers on loan till seasons end.
He played a few times in the league this year and looked very, very capable.
If he scores the winner against the bozos in weeks to come he'll get a heros welcome back to tallaght at seasons end :)

[sbgawa]

He is a decent player that woudl start for a lot of teams in the Prem but its tough for youngsters to break into the first team at Rovers with seasonede pros available, our injury record this season is so much better than last season as well so that doesnt help the kids.

And if he could score aginst Bohs Ala Conan Noonan for Waterford he will be a poular guy

[Demesne Lad]

Midfielder Jordan Rossiter (28), released by EFL 1 side Shrewsbury Town, has signed for Waterford. He had a one-year contract at Shrewsbury, but suffered an early season injury and made just 15 EFL 1 appearances. He was then loaned to non-league Oldham and helped them gain promotion. (Shropshire Star, 15 July)

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Kevin Zefi playing for us in a friendly against Mansfield tonight

[Jd2793]

zefi showing up at sligo.... maybe these young lads should stick to going to england over italy!

[Bunny Kelly]

I see Jamie Mullins has joined Wycombe,will see how he goes, feels like so many of these lads are better of developing domestically than running off at the first opportunity.

Sam Curtis ran his contract down to have options but because Sheff U got him cheap it was easy for them to toss him to the side after 6 months, youd hope the Mason Melia route of forcing a club to pay more meaning the players new club has more of a vested interest in their development.

[outspoken]

I see Jamie Mullins has joined Wycombe,will see how he goes, feels like so many of these lads are better of developing domestically than running off at the first opportunity.

Sam Curtis ran his contract down to have options but because Sheff U got him cheap it was easy for them to toss him to the side after 6 months, youd hope the Mason Melia route of forcing a club to pay more meaning the players new club has more of a vested interest in their development.
You think Spurs wouldn't chuck a one million pound player aside in 6 months? It's like Godolphin buying horses for a million quid and selling them off for 5 grand a few months later, they don't give it a second thought

Who was the last LOI player to really crack it abroad? Devoy, Tierney and countless others have all come home very quickly. Are we kidding ourselves about the standard a wee bit?

[Martinho II]

You think Spurs wouldn't chuck a one million pound player aside in 6 months? It's like Godolphin buying horses for a million quid and selling them off for 5 grand a few months later, they don't give it a second thought

Who was the last LOI player to really crack it abroad? Devoy, Tierney and countless others have all come home very quickly. Are we kidding ourselves about the standard a wee bit?

I am showing my age a bit but I think it has to be Paul McGrath when he left St Pats Athletic after only a season to join Man Utd. Cant think of any other players since then.

[sbgawa]

You think Spurs wouldn't chuck a one million pound player aside in 6 months? It's like Godolphin buying horses for a million quid and selling them off for 5 grand a few months later, they don't give it a second thought

Who was the last LOI player to really crack it abroad? Devoy, Tierney and countless others have all come home very quickly. Are we kidding ourselves about the standard a wee bit?

Roy Keane, Seamus Coleman, would be more recent than McGrath. Shane Long and Kevin Doyle had decent carears...Wes Hoolohan??

[outspoken]

Roy Keane, Seamus Coleman, would be more recent than McGrath. Shane Long and Kevin Doyle had decent carears...Wes Hoolohan??

Exactly, nobody in the last 5-10 years.

[TVFBLOCKF]

Exactly, nobody in the last 5-10 years.

There is plenty who have went over and had very decent professional careers. Luke McNally, Seanie Maguire, Sean Mcloughlin, Ryan Manning, Emakhu, Kieron Sadlier to name just a few.

[MoydowMonty]

Liam Scales I'd call a success story. Jamie McGrath has had ups and downs but has still gotten games for Ireland and won the Scottish cup recently.

So not nobody, but certainly very few

[Burnsie]

Ayman Ben Mohmamed has two African Champions Leagues and 14 caps for Tunisia

[Another Bohemia]

Exactly, nobody in the last 5-10 years.

Evan Ferguson is going through a rough patch but starting and scoring in so many premier League games is a success in my books

[Nesta99]

Its as much difining what is a successful career rather than just the standards of the league. Beng paid to play football until an average age of say 32 could be deemed successful. I think regular LoI fans would accept that. If its intended to be dismissive of the league then pick any height for the bar, a world cup winner!

[nigel-harps1954]

There's an awful lot of ex-LOI players who have forged very decent careers for themselves in England. Success isn't defined by international caps or Premier League appearances. There's plenty of players who have come from LOI to have good careers in League One and League Two and will have a nice few quid in the bank to retire on.

[RealJohn91]

Jake O'Brien, Killian Phillips, Sinclair Armstrong.

[Shearer]

Dara Costelloe just moved from Burnley to Wigan for 500K, and there were many more suitors.

[Buckett]

Jay O'Shea doesn't get mentioned much but he's still playing in the A-League

[sessylU]

Maybe more "football scandal" than transfer gossip, but Hoban's a bit scathing about Lynch in the Journal!

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/pat-hoban-blasts-tiernan-lynch-for-wasting-six-months-of-my-career-at-derry-city-5230275

[Bunny Kelly]

Hoban’s lack of minutes had signalled likely issues behind the scenes so I can’t help but wonder is there a situation at Pats & Forrester. They are massively underperforming but their star man who should be over his injury at this stage but only gets a few minutes off the bench…….

[joey B]

Maybe more "football scandal" than transfer gossip, but Hoban's a bit scathing about Lynch in the Journal!

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/pat-hoban-blasts-tiernan-lynch-for-wasting-six-months-of-my-career-at-derry-city-5230275

What was the issue that he didn’t sign for Galway ?

[joey B]

Ben McCormack joined Wexford on loan for the rest of the season from Waterford…

[sessylU]

What was the issue that he didn’t sign for Galway ?

Presumably it's because Galway are a direct rival on the run in, much like Bohs or Shels.