Dundalk sign midfielder Joe McKee on loan from Falkirk

Dundalk have signed Scottish midfielder Joe McKee on a six-month loan deal from Falkirk ahead of Friday’s closure of the League of Ireland transfer window.

McKee – who has scored six goals in 34 Scottish Championship outings for Falkirk since 2017 – has been brought into the club to cover for the injured duo of Robbie Benson and Patrick McEleney.

Both players suffered injury in Dundalk’s league opener at home to Sligo Rovers last week and are likely to be out for some time, prompting head coach Vinny Perth to bolster his options in midfield.

The 26-year-old McKee becomes the Lilywhites’ sixth signing of this transfer window following the arrivals of Aaron McCarey, Daniel Kelly, Jordan Flores, Sean Murray and Cameron Dummigan.

“It’s all about winning games. I want to help win as many games as we can. I want to try do as well as I can for the team. I want to make an impact,” McKee told the club’s official website.

“Hopefully I can do that. Hopefully we can get things going and start with this weekend. I have played a few games in Scotland and England so I have a bit of experience. Hopefully that can help the team.

“I am happy to be here. It has been a hectic few days and I am happy to get the deal done and join the club.

“I had to do a bit of research on the club and I only heard about it in the past few days but it’s good and good to get things done.

“I came over for a look on Tuesday. I flew back on Wednesday but as soon as I came over for a look, I knew I wanted to come here.”

A former Scotland under-19 international, McKee was on the books of Dundee United, Livingston as well as Burnley and also had a loan spell with St Mirren before joining Bolton Wanderers in 2012.

After failing to break into the Bolton team, he returned to Scotland with Greenock Morton, where he played 64 league games, scoring four goals, before moving to Carlisle United for a brief spell in 2017.