O'Donnell signs for home-town club

Galway United have confirmed that highly-rated midfielder Stephen O'Donnell has signed on with The Tribesmen for the 2010 season.

O'Donnell was with Cork City last year when manager Paul Doolin brought him to Leeside following a successful stint with Bohemians where he picked up a league winners' medal and FAI Cup winners' medal in 2008.

The former Arsenal trainee was sidelined for almost six months when he suffered a knee injury, but his return to action helped Cork achieve a third-placed finish in the Premier Division.

Now he has followed the likes of Dan Murray, Billy Dennehy and Danny Murphy in quitting Cork, but his route takes him back to his native city Galway after he agreed to to join Sean Connor's team.

O'Donnell's presence in the heart of the midfield will be sorely needed, given the lack of experience currently at Connor's disposal, but the club is hopeful of adding more signings before the transfer window shuts.

The Connacht-based side have recently been taking a closer look at Thomas Heary (Dundalk), Brian McCarthy (Bohemians), Jamie McKenzie (Aris Limassol), as well as the American duo of Adam Afghani and John Matkin.