Boss Mick McCarthy says he will consider new striker Aaron Drinan, who his team-mates have nicknamed ‘Murph’ after another one-time Waterford and Town frontman, a first-team squad member from the off. The 19-year-old’s move from the League of Ireland side, which TWTD revealed in October, will be formalised once the transfer window opens next week.
"He’ll be available as soon as the papers are registered, they’re all signed,” McCarthy said, although quizzed on whether international clearance might lead to a slight delay, he added: "Good question that, it usually does.”
Drinan (pictured above right with Blues youngster Chris Smith), who has won caps with the Republic of Ireland’s home-based U19s side, only joined Waterford from Cork City’s youth set-up in August and subsequently made four starts and one sub appearance, scoring once, as the Munster club carried off the League of Ireland First Division title and won promotion to the Premier Division.
Primarily a central striker but also able to operate on either the left or the right, Drinan, who is understood to have cost Town a fee of €100,000 (£90,000), played youth football with Cobh Ramblers and Carrigaline United prior to his spell with Cork.
"Aaron’s been good, I’m really pleased with him,” McCarthy said regarding the frontman, who has been training with the Blues since October, and confirmed he will view him as a first-teamer once his switch has been rubber-stamped.
"Oh yeah, I will do, certainly,” the Town boss continued. "He’s trained and he’s not looked out of place. He’s been really good.
"It's been frustrating for him that he couldn't play, of course. But he’s ready to go now, he’s been training all the time. But he’s not had any games, that’s his only problem, no game time.”
Asked about the players nicknaming Drinan ‘Murph’ after former striker Daryl Murphy, who McCarthy coincidentally brought into English football from Waterford when Sunderland boss, the Blues manager laughed.
"Because he’s Irish and he’s a centre forward and they’re piss-takers!” he said. "I love the humour of footballers, it’s just great.
"It’s generally Skusey that drops it in somewhere along the line. He’s like an Exocet, Skusey - you know it's coming, you just don't know when, it comes out of the blue and it’s usually rapier-like when it comes.
"He's fabulous. I heard them calling him Murph the other day and I just laughed, it tickled me, just the fact that they call him it, I just thought it was funny.”
Is Drinan similar in style to Murphy? "You make your mind up. Wait until he plays and you make your mind up.”