Shels declare Delaney interest

Shels declare Delaney interest

eircom League leaders Shelbourne have emerged as favourites to land former UCD defender Clive Delaney – but only if the big centre half fails to land a contract at Sunderland this week.

Delaney has been unable to find a club since being released by West Ham at the end of last season, failing to impress sufficiently in trials at QPR, Burnley and Stoke City.

The latest club to have offered him a trial is Sunderland, where Gary Breen, a former teammate of Delaney at Upton Park, recommended the ex-Irish under-21 international to manager Mick McCarthy.

McCarthy will run the rule over the big defender in a reserve match against Leeds United on Wednesday, after which he will decide whether Delaney could do a job at the Stadium of Light.

If Delaney fails to land a full-time deal on Wearside, he will return to the eircom league, and Shels boss Pat Fenlon has confirmed that he will try to bring him to Tolka Park.

“If Sunderland doesn’t work out for Clive I hope we can reach an agreement later this week,” Fenlon told the Irish Daily Star. “Clive has proved himself in the eircom League Premier Division for several seasons and has also played at under-21 level for his country, so he’s obviously the sort of player that interests us.”

Bohemians and St Partick’s Athletic are also believed to be interested in signing the 23-year-old defender.


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