Minnock moves to Kildrum
Credit:
ULSTER Senior League team Kildrum Tigers have landed the signature of Finn Harps legend Jonathan Minnock, following the popular defender's retirement from senior football.
The 32-year old has decreed that the rigours of League of Ireland football are no longer as attractive as they once were, with a young family allied to work commitments at Letterkenny General Hospital making life in the First Division an impracticality.
Harps manager Paul Hegarty had been keen for the player to sign on at Ballybofey for another season, but late last week the popular Convoy native informed the Harps chief that he had opted to play in the USL
. And Hegarty's loss has become Raymond McDaid's gain, with Minnock set to line out for Kildrum in the forthcoming Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup games against Bonagee and Cockhill at the end of the month.
"We're delighted to have signed a player of Jonathan's calibre," said Kildum boss McDaid. "He has been a model pro in all his years with Finn Harps and his addition will give our squad and everyone in the club a big lift. It’s always good to sign local players like this who have been good servants down the years and it’s great that we’ll have Minno on board.”
Minnock has been widely regarded as one of the finest players of his generation since making his Harps debut in 1995 against Derry City. In 2006, he broke Jim Sheridan’s record of 397 Harps appearance and he went onto make a staggering 470 appearances for the club with which he spent all bar one season of his senior career.
In 2001/02 he spent a season at Shelbourne, where he won the Premier Division title and tasted Champions League experience.
With Harps, Jonathan picked up a First Division winners medal, three First Division runners-up medals, an FAI Cup runners-up medal and an Irish News Cup winners medal, while he won a Premier Division title with Shelbourne in the 2001/02 season.
The 32-year old has decreed that the rigours of League of Ireland football are no longer as attractive as they once were, with a young family allied to work commitments at Letterkenny General Hospital making life in the First Division an impracticality.
Harps manager Paul Hegarty had been keen for the player to sign on at Ballybofey for another season, but late last week the popular Convoy native informed the Harps chief that he had opted to play in the USL
. And Hegarty's loss has become Raymond McDaid's gain, with Minnock set to line out for Kildrum in the forthcoming Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup games against Bonagee and Cockhill at the end of the month.
"We're delighted to have signed a player of Jonathan's calibre," said Kildum boss McDaid. "He has been a model pro in all his years with Finn Harps and his addition will give our squad and everyone in the club a big lift. It’s always good to sign local players like this who have been good servants down the years and it’s great that we’ll have Minno on board.”
Minnock has been widely regarded as one of the finest players of his generation since making his Harps debut in 1995 against Derry City. In 2006, he broke Jim Sheridan’s record of 397 Harps appearance and he went onto make a staggering 470 appearances for the club with which he spent all bar one season of his senior career.
In 2001/02 he spent a season at Shelbourne, where he won the Premier Division title and tasted Champions League experience.
With Harps, Jonathan picked up a First Division winners medal, three First Division runners-up medals, an FAI Cup runners-up medal and an Irish News Cup winners medal, while he won a Premier Division title with Shelbourne in the 2001/02 season.
About Chris McNulty
Chris McNulty is one of extratime's Northwest correspondents, covering Finn Harps and Derry City. Has worked as a sports writer with the Donegal News since 2007. View Full Profile