SHAMROCK ROVERS HAVE confirmed the arrival of two more players before last night’s transfer deadline day.
Yesterday, the Hoops announced a deal to bring in defender Lee Grace from Galway United.
And the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division outfit have also secured the services of full-back Dean Carpenter and winger Darren Clarke from Leinster Senior League side Collinstown.
The pair have been training with the club for a number of weeks and featured in the recent friendly matches against Celtic and Burnley.
“Dean’s one that I wanted to get this season from Collinstown,” said Rovers boss Stephen Bradley.
“We had him in training with us for nearly five weeks. I think he’s a player that has shown some good potential and it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on between now and the end of the season.
“He’s fitted into the group really well. He’s a good defender, he knows the game. He understands the game and I think he’ll do well for us. I think he’s had a few offers over the last few years from the League of Ireland but he was setting up his own gym at the time and obviously turned it down.
“I think he feels the time is right now to give it a go. He can play left sided centre-back, he can play left-back and he can play wing back as well so he gives us options.”
20-year-old Clarke is the brother of Rovers star Trevor — who has been one of the club’s stand-out players this season.
“Darren is another one we see potential in but different to Dean in that he’s not ready to play for us right now,” added Bradley. “He can play off both feet, he’s very quick and direct.
“Darren can only benefit from being in training with us every day and hopefully as time goes on he’s ready to go and make an impact on the squad. But he’s one that we’re very much looking down the line with.
We’re speaking to one or two clubs and hopefully a loan move can happen but if not, either way he’ll be here training and working away behind the scenes. I see a little bit of Trevor in him when he first came in, in terms of how direct and quick he is.
“Watching Darren throughout the year with Collinstown, he was a player that interested me every time I watched him, and I just thought I’d like to see him in our environment with our players, give him time to settle in and let’s see where it goes.
“He and Dean had a really good season at Collinstown, I just knew they’d proved themselves.”
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