Ciaran O'Connor joins Finn Harps on loan from Dundalk

Finn Harps have announced the signing of 20-year-old Ciaran O’Connor on a six-month loan deal from champions Dundalk.

The striker had been training with Ollie Horgan’s side for the past few weeks and scored in Harps' pre-season friendly win over Inishowen League.

O’Connor came through the youth ranks at Dundalk and netted his first goal in a friendly against Glentoran in June of 2013 before signing a professional deal with the club and making his competitive debut in the Leinster Senior Cup against Shamrock Rovers the same year.

The youngster found opportunities limited in the first team and spent the final months of 2014 on loan at Warrenpoint Town, where he scored 5 times in 17 appearances in the Northern Irish Premier League.

He returned from his loan spell and scored twice in four cup appearances for the Lillywhites including his first Dundalk goal in the Republc against Wexford Youths in a 3-0 win in the Leinster Senior Cup.

In June of that season O’Connor joined Peter Hutton’s Derry City on Loan, scoring three times in ten games, including the only goal of the game in a victory over St Patrick’s Athletic in Richmond Park in August.

“It took a little while to get the paperwork completed but we’re pleased now that Ciaran is officially a member of the squad for the new season,” Harps boss Horgan told the club's official website.

“He’s a young lad who has great experience being part of a Dundalk Squad that has won the Premier Division and did so well in Europe.

“I know Ciaran only got a handful of starts last season but it was very difficult to get into a squad with the likes of Daryl Horgan, Ciaran Kilduff and David McMillan playing so well.”

“Hopefully now with us he will get the chance to show us what he can do. It’s important that we have competition for places up front, so getting the best out of Ciaran and Danny Morrisey is vital this season.”

O’Conner joins Danny Morrissey, Harry Doherty, Jonny Bonner, Killian Cantwell and Caolan McAleer in the door at Finn Park this window as the Donegal side look to avoid the drop to the First Division this season.