New Galway United manager Stephen Lally has made his first two signings, snapping up goalkeeper Ciaran Kelly from Derry City and Polish defender Marcin Szymanski for the 2005 season.
Lally was a real favourite at Terryland Park through almost a decade and a half as a player, and returned to the club as assistant boss last year before replacing Tony Mannion in January.
He quickly moved to tie last season’s top scorer Barry Moran to a new deal at the club, and over the weekend made his first acquisitions with the signings of Kelly and Szymanski.
Much had been expected of former Sligo Rovers keeper Kelly when he made the move to the Premier Division with Derry a year ago, but after making key errors in two of the Candystripes’ first four games of the season, was dropped by Derry boss Gavin Dykes.
Patrick Jennings, who along with Kelly had arrived at Derry last winter, took over in goal, but both were forced to take a back seat towards the end of the season when yet another new signing, former West Ham and Ireland under-21 keeper David Forde, made the position his own.
Kelly will face a battle for the number one spot at Galway with another former Derry keeper – Alan Gough, who also has top-level experience with Shelbourne, was undisputed number one at his hometown club after joining from Derry a year ago.
