JUST DAYS AFTER it was confirmed that they’re set to lose their defensive linchpin, Dundalk have made a significant addition to their rearguard for 2017.
The SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions, who’ll be chasing a fourth consecutive league title next season, have this morning announced the signing of Sean Hoare from St Patrick’s Athletic.
Hoare only turned 22 this year but has been involved with the first team at Pat’s since 2012. He was part of the squad that won the Premier Division in 2013, before picking up an FAI Cup medal in ’14 and EA Sports Cup medals in each of the past two seasons.
“I am delighted to sign for Dundalk. It was very tough to turn down the chance to join the club. The club is huge at the moment — in my opinion, bigger than everyone else,” Hoare told Dundalk’s official website.
“The European games that the club played this year have been brilliant. It has caught the eye of everyone around the league. The club has done really well. People probably thought that clubs in the League of Ireland can’t compete like that in Europe but they have shown they can and it would be great to be a part of something similar next year.”
Less than 24 hours after their hugely successful European campaign ended with a Europa League defeat to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel on Thursday, Andy Boyle’s agent revealed that the defender will leave Dundalk to join English Championship club Preston North End.
The arrival of Hoare, who has played five times for Ireland at U21 level, will help to plug the defensive gap that has emerged for the Lilywhites in the wake of Boyle’s departure.
Hoare said: “I have been on the outside looking in over the last few years and it’s going to be nice to see what it’s like working with the club and the players from the inside now. I am looking forward to getting started.
“I want to win things. I want to win the big trophies. I won the FAI Cup in 2014 and a couple of EA Sports Cups in the past two seasons but I want to win more. Dundalk have been winning everything over the last few years and I want to win more.”
