Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that former Shelbourne winger Dylan Connolly has joined the club. The 19-year-old, who impressed the Blues manager while on trial at Portman Road last summer, has agreed an 18-month contract with an option for a further year having left Shels at the end of the Irish season in November.
"He has signed now and now he’s signed we’ll talk about him,” McCarthy said, having kept his counsel until the deal was done.
"I’m delighted with him coming in. He’s a wide right player, he’s blisteringly quick and he’s got a fair bit of ability, he’s got a goal in him.
"And he’s coming from having played, so he’ll play in the U21s at the start but I’m looking at him with a view to playing with us, with being in the first team squad.
"He’s trained with Mark Kennedy and the U21s today. Providing he’s registered and everything’s OK he’ll play in the U21s next week and then we’ll have a look at him and see.”
As TWTD reported on Monday, the Blues have been waiting for paperwork relating to the deal to be rubber-stamped.
Connolly and 17-year-old McDonnell, who signed on at Portman Road in the summer, were two of three Shelbourne players to spend time on trial with Town during pre-season, featuring in the friendly at Braintree. Defender Ryan Robinson was the third.
In November, Town were reported to be ready to offer Connolly a deal during January but, according to reports last week, issues relating to the training compensation due to Home Farm and Bohemians, his clubs prior to his spell with Shelbourne, were holding up the move.
Under FIFA rules when a young player switches between national associations compensation is due to all the clubs who have trained him between the ages of 12 and 21.
Irish U21 international Connolly was a regular for Shelbourne’s first team as they finished second in the Airtricity League First Division (second tier) during the 2014 season, making 27 appearances and top scoring for the Dublin side with 12 goals.
He was named in the PFAI First Division Team of the Year and nominated for the PFAI Young Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, McCarthy also confirmed that Witham Town winger Tom Wraight has started his trial with the Blues: "He’s just turned up today, Tom. We’ll have a look at him, as we do with everybody.
"I think we should [look at players from that level]. I think it’s important that we do keep looking.
"When you think about Tyrone walking in the door and where he is now and the people who are looking at him, then we’d be mad not to if we get recommendations. We send people out to look at them.”