Daire O'Connor joins Ballymena United in multi year deal

BALLYMENA United have signed forward Daire O'Connor from Hamilton Academical on a multi year deal.

United manager Jim Ervin saw off a number of other Premier Leagues sides to get his man.

Ervin had O’Connor in his sights for a number of months and is relieved to have got the deal over the line.

Twenty-eight-year-old O’Connor returns to the Premiership after a spell in Scotland.

The former Cliftonville and Glentoran player, with a stint at Ayr United in between, left East Belfast in 2024 to join Hamilton but spent the second half of last season on loan at East Kilbride, helping the South Lanarkshire side secure a spot in the SPFL after winning the Lowlands League.

Speaking on the Ballymena United website yesterday (Thursday) O’Connor lhighlighted why he opted to join the Sky Blues.

“I was drawn by the ambition. They're very motivated to push up the table, finish closer to Europe and get a Cup run,” he told the United website.

Returning to a League he knows well, the winger is excited to get back to business here with United.

“This is a League I've thrived in before, I feel like I know it almost inside out. Things didn't work out in Scotland but I have a spring in my step again to prove some people wrong and show The Showgrounds what I can do.”

Manager Jim Ervin is delighted O’Connor opted to make The Showgrounds his home.

“He's an unbelievable talent that we all know about and he's another one we've targeted and spoke to for a few months once we heard of the possibility of him coming home,” Ervin told the website.

“Other clubs were interested as is well documented, but thankfully we were able to sell him the club and the vision.”

Ervin know the quality O'Connor adds to the squad.

“He's very direct, pacy and has a great delivery. His numbers at the Glens prove that and when a player of that ability comes up, you'd be silly not to go for it,” Ervin told the website.

“I'm really excited to work with him, he's been brilliant so far with his enthusiasm in our conversations and he's a really experienced senior player we can't wait to have.”