Vinny Faherty ends Cypriot oddyssey for fourth spell with hometown club Galway United

Vinny Faherty’s longtime love affair with hometown club Galway United has been renewed once more as the striker returns for a fourth spell in claret.

The 31-year-old has spent the past 12 months in Cyprus with second-tier side PAEEK in Nicosia, whom he joined following a short loan spell with Sligo Rovers.

Faherty scored 31 goals across three Premier Division seasons with the Tribesmen, and is looking forward to linking up with the club’s record goalscorer in manager Alan Murphy.

The pair formed a strike partnership at Eamonn Deacy Park in 2014 during Faherty’s first spell with the club, and Murphy will look to him to set an example for his young squad in the First Division.

“It’s great to be back. I’m a Galway lad and I’m excited to be a part of Alan’s plans for the club,” Faherty told the club’s official website.

“I’ve played with Murphs, so I know what he’s all about. That was a big part of me coming back to the club. Alan is quite a straight shooting guy which is great as a player, it’s what you want.

“Alan demands very high standards and with the young squad that we have, it’s exactly what’s needed too.

“I’m happy to be one of the more senior players at the club, hopefully I can lead by example and be able to pass on a few things to the younger members of the squad, particularly the strikers.”

Murphy added: “Vinny Faherty is a goalscorer, with proven quality in the League of Ireland and I’m really happy to be able to bring him back to the club again.

“He will compliment the signings we’ve already made perfectly. We’ve got a lot of young, hungry players and Vinny will be very good in terms of his leadership and role both on and off the pitch, to bring these players up to speed.

“We’ve spoken about identifying the right type of people needed to come into the club and Vinny is certainly one of those.

“He’s very trustworthy, hardworking and a really good professional. They are the characteristics that we need and on top of that, he’s a Galway lad, through and through.

“Throughout the league, Vinny Faherty’s name is known. He has performed at every club that he’s been at. I know Vinny for many years and I believe that I can get the best out of him.”