Glenavon sign former Portadown striker Kevin Braniff

Kevin Braniff had loan spells with Rushden & Diamonds and Canvey Island

Irish Cup winners Glenavon have swooped to sign former Portadown striker Kevin Braniff on a two-year-deal.

The 31-year-old has decided to resume his Irish League career with the Lurgan Blues after returning from Australia because of personal reasons.

Braniff moved to Australia in February and it was understood that Portadown would have first option on the forward on his return to Northern Ireland.

However, the former Millwall player has joined their mid-Ulster rivals.

The former Ports captain has been among the leading Irish League players in recent years and was the subject of interest from Linfield and Cliftonville.

Braniff, who won his only Northern Ireland cap in 2010, was made available to other clubs last November after what Portadown termed a "breach of club discipline".

The forward played for Port Melbourne Sharks during his brief stay in Australia.

"In my opinion, this is the biggest signing in the league this season," Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton told the club website.

"We have two genuine wingers so it's our plan to play Kevin as a striker up front."

Braniff is delighted to be joining the Mourneview Park club and working with Hamilton, who is also a former Portadown striker.

"Gary and Windy painted a great picture and told me what they wanted to do with the club," he said.

"It's a club going forward and what they achieved last season was impressive in my opinion - to come and work under Gary is a big thing for me as well."