Dylan Connolly joins Wimbledon for an undisclosed fee from Dundalk

SSE Airtricity League champions Dundalk have sold flying winger Dylan Connolly to English League One outfit AFC Wimbledon for an undisclosed fee.

It is believed that the Lilywhites have recouped most, if not all of the €35,000 they paid Bray Wanderers for the Dubliner, who makes a cross-channel move for the second time in his career.

The 23-year-old, who started his career with Bohemians, had previously signed for Ipswich Town at the end of the 2014 season, impressing many whilst playing in the First Division with Shelbourne.

However, he failed to register a first-team appearance for Ipswich and returned to the League of Ireland with Bray before being transferred to Dundalk halfway through the 2017 campaign.

Despite much expectation, Connolly never really got going during his time at Oriel Park, but did manage to score five goals in his 37 league outings for a club he was contracted to until the end of the 2019 campaign.

Dundalk have, however, decided to cash in on the flying winger who immediately links up with English League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon, becoming Wally Downes first signing as manager.

“Dylan epitomises what I think the club has been founded on, an appetite for success through hard work and endeavour,” Downes told the club’s official website.

“He has the raw skills and desire, and we are going to give young players like Dylan the opportunity to enhance us as a club and offer them a chance to fulfil their potential.”

In other news, Dundalk have been drawn at home to Athlone Town in the fourth round of the Leinster Senior Cup, with a date and kick-off time set to be confirmed in the coming days.