Carlisle United forward Sean Maguire has returned to Cork City after leaving the League of Ireland First Division club seven years ago to join Championship side Preston North End, ending a productive English Football League spell that included over 200 appearances.
The 30-year-old re-joins the Rebel Army with the club 15 points clear at the top of the First Division. Tim Clancy’s side are on the verge of winning the title for the second time in three years after suffering relegation from the top flight in 2023.
Carlisle United Prepare For League Two After Failing to Embrace Third Tier
Paul Simpson’s side had a poor 2023/24 League One season finishing in 24th place after securing promotion through the play-offs in the previous campaign. They picked up just seven wins and 30 points and conceded a league-high 81 goals across their 46 matches.
However, Carlisle United appear ready for a strong showing in League Two and have signed forward Charlie Wyke from Wigan Athletic. The 31-year-old has over 100 career goals in the Football League and scored seven times for the Latics in League One before moving on loan to Championship side Rotherham United at the end of the Winter Transfer Window. During his loan spell, Wyke scored a late winning goal in a 2-1 win over Millwall.
They have signed Archie Davies from League of Ireland side Dundalk and have secured deals for Cameron Harper of Inverness CT, Ethan Robson of MK Dons, and defenders Terell Thomas and Aaron Hayden from Charlton Athletic and Wrexham respectively.
21-year-old goalkeeper Jude Smith has arrived on a free transfer from Newcastle’s development squad and 19-year-old forward Daniel Adu-Adjei has joined on loan from Bournemouth, having scored his first senior goal on loan at Leyton Orient last season. The team is still, however, looking light in forward areas but after scoring just twice in 32 matches, Sean Maguire has been deemed surplus to requirements.
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Cork City have confirmed the arrival of Sean Maguire, who has been capped 11 times for the Republic of Ireland. He scored his first and only international goal in a 3-1 friendly victory over New Zealand in 2019. His last international cap was in 2020. The forward returns after a successful previous spell in the League of Ireland, being a major part of Cork City’s last title triumph in 2017 before Preston swooped in that summer.
Maguire scored 20 goals in 21 League of Ireland Premier Division appearances in 2017 and was awarded the Player of the Year award off the back of his impressive exploits for Cork City. His 30 total goal involvements made it clear that top sides from England would be in for his signature and he impressed over his five and a half years at Deepdale.
He accumulated 170 appearances for the Championship side, scoring 24 goals and played in several roles across the forward line. He was a key component of a Preston squad that established themselves as a perennial contender for a play-off place almost every season during under Alex Neil, Frankie McAvoy and Ryan Lowe.
He will link up with Ruairi Keating, who has left St. Patrick’s Athletic to join the Rebel Army. Keating had the best spell of his career when playing for Cork City in 2022-23, contributing 39 goal involvements in 69 matches. The 29-year-old Mayo native assisted a goal on his second debut for the club to salvage a point against Treaty United last week.
Forward Jack Doherty has led the line admirably this season and scored seven goals, but Tim Clancy has significantly increased the firepower in this Cork City squad. They now have a forward line that is capable of competing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.