DAMIEN DUFF HAS strengthened his Shelbourne side ahead of the new League of Ireland season with the return of Will Jarvis on loan from Hull City.
The 21-year-old attacker caught the eye at Tolka Park during the second half of the 2023 campaign as he scored three times in 12 games to help Shels finish fourth and qualify for Europe.
The Drumcondra club are no longer under the control of Hull owner Acun Ilicali but, much to Duff’s delight, they were still able to work out a deal.
“It’s amazing news that Will is coming back, even better that he wants to come. His impact on the team was there for everyone to see, he is a special player,” Duff said.
“We look forward to working with Will again and helping him grow on and off the pitch. Thank you to Hull also for making it happen. The partnership might have ended but the relationship remains strong.”
Jarvis signed a two-year contract extension with Hull last season but said he’s happy to continue his development under Duff’s guidance.
“I had a great experience at Shels last season so I was really delighted to get the chance to come back. The club helped me grow and develop last season and I am really excited to kick on again this season.
“I’m really excited to see what this season holds. It’s a very ambitious group and I’ve loved playing at Tolka, the fans create an amazing atmosphere, when I heard Shels wanted me back, it was a no brainer for me.”
We're delighted to confirm the signing of Luke Turner on a multi-year contract from Cliftonville, for an undisclosed fee
— St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) January 30, 2024
Goalkeeper David Odumosu, who has been on loan at Solitude from St Pat's since July 2023, has joined Cliftonville on a permanent deal as part of the agreement pic.twitter.com/6gLweinkC7
St Patrick’s Athletic have also added to their ranks with the signing of defender Luke Turner on a multi-year deal ahead of the season’s curtain raiser in the President’s Cup on 9 February.
The FAI Cup winners face Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday week and Saints boss Jon Daly was pleased to beat off rivals to secure the Dubliner’s signature from Irish League outfit Cliftonville.
“Luke is a player we have been monitoring over recent months and we’ve been really impressed with him,” Daly said.
“He’s a local boy and understands what it means to play for Pat’s. He’ll add quality to our squad and increase our options at centre-back.
“It’s a position we’ve been looking to strengthen and now we have great competition in that area with Joe Redmond, Conor Keeley, Alfie Taylor, Tom Grivosti and Luke.”
As part of the deal, goalkeeper David Odumosu has made his loan spell at Solitude a permanent one.
Elsewhere, Dundalk have signed Scottish striker Jamie Gullan from Raith Rovers.
Gullan, who was a former team-mate of Daryl Horgan’s at Hibernian, scored 32 goals in 118 appearances for Raith.
“We’ve been tracking Jamie for some time,” Dundalk head coach Stephen O’Donnell said.
“It didn’t look like it was going to happen at various times so to get him over the line is fantastic.
“He broke into the Hibs team at a young age and had a good scoring record at Raith Rovers. He’s 24 and ready to kick on now and go and really achieve something with his career.
“It’s an exciting signing for everyone.”
– Additional reporting by Niall Kelly
