O'Connor makes Hoops move from Dundalk

Shamrock Rovers on Saturday announced their third close season signing from three-in-a-row League of Ireland Champions Dundalk. Highly regarded young striker Michael O’Connor joins Rovers from the Lilywhites. The 18-year-old player joins Darren Meenan and Ronan Finn who have also joined Stephen Bradley’s team in Tallaght for the 2017 campaign.

"We are delighted to have signed Michael,” said Hoops Boss Bradley. “He is a very good young player and is eager to show everyone how good he really is. He turned down some big offers to come to Shamrock Rovers.”

O’Connor had been courted by League One side Bradford City but the Ireland under 19 player will stay in the League of Ireland for the upcoming season which will begin with a mouth-watering clash of Dundalk v Shamrock Rovers on February 24^th.

“He buys into what we are building and wants to be a part of it. He spoke with Ronan (Finn) and Darren (Meenan) and knows that he will become a better footballer with us.

“He is a great talent and I know will do a job for us. He will mix really well with the squad and we will go straight into it with the squad at training on Monday."

O'Connor spent some time in the UK with Bristol City before returning home to join Dundalk in late 2014 where he made his senior debut in an EA Sports Cup clash against Shelbourne the following April. He also played in the 2015 Leinster Senior Cup Final when Dundalk beat Shamrock Rovers 3-1 at Oriel Park.

He made his league debut in 2016 and scored his first league goal in the penultimate game of that season away to St. Pat’s. He made three league appearances in total last season. He scored twice in the Leinster Senior Cup in Dundalk’s 4-3 defeat away to Bohs and he also scored in the FAI Cup at the Third Round stage.

His two goals in the Under 19 league quarter-final for Dundalk helped eliminate the Hoops from that under-age competition.

Michael O'Connor's goal for @dundalkfc u19 v @ShamrockRovers u19. 1-1 after 25 mins in league quarter final. Jamie Aherne put Hoops 1-0 up pic.twitter.com/B8kCtufF7T

— Macdara Ferris (@macdarabueller) September 30, 2016

"I am delighted to sign for Shamrock Rovers today,” said O’Connor. “I enjoyed my time at Dundalk but I felt that I needed a change and Stephen Bradley has offered me the chance to prove myself and show what I can do. I will grab that chance with both hands and I look forward to getting stuck in straight away starting with training on Monday."

The 18-year-old striker appeared in Dundalk's Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw at Aviva Stadium. Last September, O'Connor scored the winning goal for the Ireland Under 19s against Austria in Tallaght Stadium.