Glenavon sign Usher Celtic hotshot Steo Donnelly

AUL Premier A top scorer Steo Donnelly has signed for Irish Premiership side Glenavon ahead of the new season.

The 25-year-old has been on the books with Islandbridge amateur side Usher Celtic for the past two seasons, bar a short spell with boyhood club Bohemians in the summer of 2017.

Donnelly has finished as top scorer in the AUL's top division in each of the last two years, having returned from a football scholarship in the United States.

He replaces the former Dundalk and Drogheda United striker Marc Griffin, who has left the Lurgan Blues to sign for Warrenpoint Town.

Usher, earlier this month, sealed their first-ever Premier A title as they finally ended Sheriff YC's six-year run as champions.

Glenavon manager Gary Hamilton had previously tried to sign Donnelly at this stage last season but lost out to Bohemians, however the striker left Dalymount Park without making an appearance.

Hamilton isn't shy of putting his faith in strikers from Dublin's amateur leagues, having previously signed Liffey Wanderers striker Greg Moorhouse, now of Sligo Rovers/

“Stephen scored 44 goals last season, albeit at a lower standard, but you still have to score the goals,” Hamilton told Glenavon's official website.

“I watched him in two games recently and he scored a hat trick in both so he’s somebody who knows where the back of the net is and we’re hoping he’ll add goals to the team.



“The season only finished down there last week and they’ve played around 60 games so we’ll have to manage him right over pre-season so he doesn’t burn out in January.

“Our boys are back in this week at pre-season so he’ll come up and get to know the boys and get a bit of TLC and treatment.

“We’ll rest him and give him a few minutes in the odd game and hope to have him ready for the European games.”