League of Ireland: Cork City will complete the signing of 21-year-old centre back Darren Murphy from Cobh Ramblers over the weekend.
The young defender, who described the move to full-time football as a "dream come true" has impressed during a trial spell and will get the opportunity to challenge for the place left vacant by the departure of Alan Bennett for Reading.
Cork manager Damien Richardson is still waiting on Colin Healy's decision regarding his future with the midfielder weighing up a number of options that include a move to Scottish Premier League club Falkirk and a return home to Ireland after a difficult few seasons in the English lower leagues.
Richardson is also considering signing Dave Warren, also from Cobh, and versatile left-sided player Darragh Ryan who made his name with UCD. Cork need to recruit a left back in the wake of Danny Murphy's departure for Motherwell although Richardson insisted yesterday that Billy Woods would re-sign for the club for the coming season.
Former Cork star Greg O'Halloran will complete his move to Derry City over the coming days, with the 27-year-old apparently having agreed terms with manager Pat Fenlon during the club's training camp in Marbella this week.
Dean Delaney, like O'Halloran a member of Fenlon's title-winning side at Shelbourne last season, is also training with the club although it remains unclear whether the goalkeeper will move to the Brandywell.
The trip to Spain, meanwhile, included a highly creditable 1-1 draw with Dynamo Moscow on Thursday in which Kevin Deery gave the Irish side the lead after 63 minutes only for the Russians to grab a controversial late equaliser courtesy of Danny Miguel Alves Gomez.
Galway United have recruited former Bray Wanderers and Drogheda United goalkeeper Gary Rogers for the coming season. Rogers (25) lined out in goal for Meath footballers when they defeated Antrim in Division Two B of the National Football League last Saturday.
Shelbourne sources, meanwhile, have dismissed as "completely groundless," suggestions that Ollie Byrne might return to an active role within the club during the foreseeable future. A senior club figure said that Byrne had "retired" from club administration for the foreseeable future to concentrate on his recovery from serious illness. The Dubliner would not, it was added, play any part in Shelbourne affairs for "at least a year or two".
