Cork City's Cup final hero Achille Campion joins Linfield on loan

Northern Irish champions Linfield have announced the capture of Cork City’s FAI Cup final hero of 2017 on a loan deal for the rest of the NIFL Premiership season.

Having announced the signing of Kurtis Byrne from League of Ireland side St Patrick’s Athletic in recent weeks, Linfield manager David Healy has bolstered his Windsor Park ranks with the signature of the 27-year-old former Sligo Rovers hitman until the end of June.

The Parisian joined up John Caulfield’s Rebel Army at the end of the 2016 season but the Frenchman struggled to really get going as he often played as an understudy to an on-fire Sean Maguire before Maguire headed across the pond to Championship side Preston North End in the summer.

Despite Campion’s well documented struggles at Turners Cross, he did manage to come up with the goods when it was needed most as he scored an extra-time equaliser against Dundalk in the Cup final in November, which sent the pulsating game into a dramatic penalty shootout finale where City confirmed that they would ended the season with the League and Cup double.

Speaking on his move up to Windsor Park, Campion said that he is looking forward to the prospect of winning trophies up in Belfast.

“I have been speaking wih David Healy for quite a lot of time now, and I am grateful to John Caulfield for allowing me to go on loan to win some trophies,” Campion told Linfield's official website.

"He's a player we know well and have seen play live several times,” Blues boss David Healy added.

“Our scouts have monitored his progress and he's coming to us on the back of a very positive season, having helped them to a League and Cup double.

“He will add experience and quality to the options available to us in our forward line and I'm really looking forward to starting to work with him in training tonight.

“Achille joins Kurtis Byrne as striking arrivals from League of Ireland football on the opening of the January transfer window and I can assure our supporters that we will continue to seek fresh faces for the challenges that lie ahead for us in our league and cup campaigns.

“I know our supporters will give Achille and Kurtis a warm welcome and I've been grateful to our board for the positive backing to our efforts to strengthen our squad, as we aim to finish the season as strongly as we possibly can".

City manager John Caulfield added: “This loan is an opportunity for Achille to go out and get some regular game time under his belt. Doing so will benefit him, and we hope the move goes well for him.”