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17th Feb 2017

Paddy McCourt poised for League of Ireland return

Not the northern club you might expect

Ben Kiely

Paddy McCourt is reportedly set to return to the league where he earned his stripes.

It’s been nearly a decade since McCourt made the move from Derry City to Celtic, but his time there has not been forgotten.

The ‘The Derry Pele’ won three League of Ireland Cups and an FAI Cup with the Candystripes before signing for the Scottish giants for £200,000.

Since then he’s played for Barnsley, Brighton and Hove Albion, Notts County, Luton Town and most recently, Northern Irish outfit Glenavon.

He showed glimpses of what earned him that memorable moniker during his time in Armagh, but now he appears ready to move on again.

 

McCourt is poised to sign for League of Ireland outfit Finn Harps, according to report from the Donegal Daily. He has been training with the Donegal side with a view to signing a deal and could debut for the club in Saturday’s friendly against Cabinteely.

Although it was initially thought that the club would not be able to meet his wage demands, it is now believed that both player and club are ready to come to an agreement. Hopes are high that the deal will be finalised before the club kicks off their campaign against Cork City next Friday.

McCourt requested to cut short his contract with Luton Town last year so that he could return home to be with his wife Laura, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. He also ruled himself out of Euro 2016 on the eve of the tournament, the day that Laura underwent surgery.

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