Rovers return for Tommy Stewart

Tommy Stewart has signed for Shamrock Rovers for his second spell at the club.  The striker has signed a deal that will keep him with the Tallaght club until the end of the 2013 season.  

In his previous one season spell in 2010 with the current champions, the 25-year-old former Northern Ireland under 21 international played an instrumental part in Rovers’ success that year.  Stewart scored eight league goals for the Hoops and formed a great partnership with fellow striker Gary Twigg.  His goal on the final night of the season secured Rovers first league title in 16 years as the Hoops drew 2-2 in a tense game in Bray to win the Airtricity League on goal difference from Bohemians. 

Stewart also scored the only goal of the game in Europe in the second leg against Bnei Yehuda in Israel.  His winner saw Rovers progress 2-1 on aggregate setting up the glamour tie with Juventus in the Europa League qualifying round.

The former Linfield striker, a club at which he won two Irish Premier League titles, previously worked with Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Kenny when they were both with Derry City.  Stewart, who played for Partick Thistle since leaving Rovers, comes straight into the Rovers squad for this Friday’s game against UCD.