Graham Burke makes Rovers return

Stephen Bradley has bolstered his Shamrock Rovers squad with the signing of Graham Burke who makes a Rovers return on loan till next July.

The 25-year-old, who scored 18 league goals from 41 appearances with the Hoops during his previous 18 month spell in Tallaght, returns to the club from Preston North End who he had signed with on a three year deal last summer. 

The attacker has made the trip to Cyprus ahead of Rovers’ Europa League Second Qualifying Round second leg against Apollon Limassol.

He will train with the squad, however he won’t be available to play for the Hoops in the tie as he was not signed in time to be eligible for the game.  

Preston manager Alex Neil speaking to his club's media team noted that "some lads need to go out to play football and Graham is one of them.

"He went to Gillingham on loan last season, he just wants to play football, he is at an age where he wants to play week in, week out.

"Unfortunately we can't guarantee that here. We wish Graham all the best."

When last at Rovers, Burke scored three goals in European action for Rovers in the 2017 Europa League qualifiers. He scored four goals in a league match (against Derry City) to become the first Hoops players to manage that feat in 26 years. 

He also earned two international caps while playing with the Hoops.

He became the first League of Ireland player to be capped for the Republic of Ireland in a decade when he played against France in Paris in a friendly ahead of the 2018 World Cup becoming the first Shamrock Rovers player to line out for Ireland since Pat Byrne in 1986.



He followed that up with a goal in the 2-1 friendly win for the Boys in Green over USA at the Aviva Stadium a few days later, thus becoming the first League of Ireland player to score for Ireland since Ray Treacy, also of Shamrock Rovers, when scored against Turkey in 1978.

During his recent spell in England, he made 15 appearances in the Championship for Preston before playing a dozen league games during a loan spell at Gillingham in League One. 

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile