Dundalk miss out as Celtic striker returns to Ireland with Shamrock Rovers

It has been a relatively quiet off season for Dundalk FC head coach Stephen O'Donnell, with the re-signing of key players from 2022 being the only big news in recent weeks.

Having missed out on a couple of top prospects within the League of Ireland, speculation had been brewing up online that the Lilywhites had been chasing down former Sligo Rovers striker Johnny Kenny, with fans hopeful they could work out a loan deal from his current employers Celtic.

The 19-year-old, who made the move to Glasgow last January, featured for Celtic's 'B' team before he was sent out on loan to Scottish Championship outfit Queen's Park where he made 12 appearances.

However, after struggling to make a big impact on a side which is flying high near the top of Scottish second tier, it was believed a move back to Ireland was seen as the best way of developing his talent further, all while getting regular first team football.

Dundalk and Sligo Rovers were among the sides believed to be looking for the young attacker's signature as part of a loan deal, however in the end it was the reigning Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers that won the fight for his services. 

"We’ve liked him and monitored him for quite some time" Hoops boss Stephen Bradley told his club's website.

"We tried to get him a couple of years back and it didn’t quite come off so we’re delighted to get him, because he has some really good attributes that we feel will improve the team.

"We know what he’s about and we’ve seen it first-hand, so there are no surprises for us or for him. He knows the league and we know Johnny. In this team, with the chances we create and the way he plays, I think he’ll really enjoy it and score goals."