Donelon signs new contract with Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers have announced that young Galway left back Regan Donelon has signed a new two year contract at the Showgrounds. Donelon will now be with the Bit O'Red until the end of the 2018 season. 

Donelon joins several products of the Rovers youth system who have already signed new contracts, including Gary Boylan, Mikey Place and Gary Armstrong.

Donelon is the 10th player to sign with Rovers for next season, Craig Roddan, Micheal Schlingermann, Kieran Sadlier, Daniel Kearns, Raff Cretaro and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling are all under contract with the club for next season and beyond.

The 20 year-old was a constant in the team all season until an injury he sustained in July kept him out of action before a recent return to the team. Donelon made his debut after progressing through the under-19 team in May 2014 against Bray wanderers. After a loan spell with Finn Harps at the start of the 2015 season he cemented a place in the team on his return that he has retained ever since.

In total Donelon has played 43 times for the Bit O'Red.

Speaking about Donelon signing a new contract manager Dave Robertson told the Rovers website; “I am definitely delighted to have signed Regan up for two further years. He is a big one for us in what will big a big year next year, we want to prepare in the right way for it. We have sought to secure the services of all the players who have played a big part for us this year and that is what we are doing. We need to consolidate what has been achieved this year and move forward again in the new year. Regan will be a very important part of that so it is great to have him.

“He can definitely have an even better next year if he can stay injury-free and play a full season. Up until the injury he had played a big part, he had a fantastic run up until then. We need to manage him well to make sure he is fully ready when we come back in 2017.” Robertson added: “Regan is one of the keys to our future.”

“We have a very young defence and we do need to add some senior players to go with those. But with where we are now I am very pleased with the talent that is there in the defensive positions. We need to add to our squad next year to make us stronger and hopefully we will be able to do that.”