Irish League Football

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Larne have signed defender Matthew Ridley after the departure of Scottish centre-back Shaun Want.

Englishman Ridley becomes Nathan Rooney's first summer signing as he arrives from Northern Premier League side Blyth Spartans, a club he captained last season.

The 25-year-old has also had spells with Billingham Town, Chester-Le-Street Town, Whitby Town and League Two side Sutton United.

"I'm really pleased to bring Matt to the club. He'll add nicely to our defensive options, making this part of the squad a really competitive unit," Rooney told Larne's website.

"His energy and passion for the game is something I have been aware of for a while and I am looking forward to working closely with Matt on his next stage of his career."

Ridley will replace Want, who leaves the club upon the expiration of his contract, returning to Scotland for family reasons.

The 28-year-old was a mainstay for the side after arriving from Hamilton Academical three years ago.

He made 104 appearances for Larne, winning two Gibson Cups, two County Antrim Shields and helping them to qualify for the league phase of the Uefa Conference League for the first time.

"The club respects Shaun's decision to put family first and wishes him the best of luck at his next club," said the club in a post on X.

Ali Omar, Joe Besant, Sean Brown, Olatunde Bayode and Harrison Panayiotou have also left the Inver outfit upon the expiration of their contracts.

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Midfielder Stephen Fallon has joined Coleraine after leaving Irish Premiership champions Linfield upon the expiration of his contract.

The 28-year-old won six league titles, two Irish Cups, three League Cups and a County Antrim Shield during his nine years with the Blues after arriving from Swansea City.

He has been a bit-part player in recent seasons due to a number of injury problems.

Fallon becomes the Bannsiders' third summer addition after the arrival of Kodi Lyons-Foster from Glentoran and Joel Cooper from the Blues.

"He's had a difficult few years with injury but having spoken to the medical staff here, they have been isolated injuries and we feel we can get on top of that and get him right," Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins told the club's website.

"Once we get him right then we have a hell of a player on our hands. He's a talented midfield player and one of the best in the country.

"He knows how to win, he has been a really key player in some of Linfield's title wins and he brings that respect straight away when he walks into the changing room."

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Jimmy Callacher has joined Carrick Rangers after his departure from fellow Irish Premiership side Crusaders.

The 33-year-old left the Crues upon the expiration of his contract after two years with the club.

Callacher made 43 appearances for the north Belfast side, scoring once.

He suffered a serious knee injury four games into the 2023-24 season which saw him miss the remainder of that campaign.

The centre-half started his career at Glentoran before enjoying a successful nine-year spell at Linfield, where he won five Irish Premiership titles and two Irish Cups.

The 2019 Ulster Footballer of the Year follows Billy Joe Burns and Adam Lecky in reuniting with former Crues boss Stephen Baxter at Carrick.

The Gers have signed five players so far this window and boss Baxter said that Callacher is "an outstanding player and leader".

"A no nonsense defender but also very comfortable on the ball, Jimmy will add power, strength and big game experience as we move forward," Baxter told the club's website.

"Jimmy had several options open to him but chose Carrick Rangers as his new home."

Crusaders, meanwhile, have signed former Glentoran midfielder Finley Thorndike on a two-year deal and Northern Ireland under-19 left back Brandon Hamilton.

Thorndike, a 23-year-old English midfielder, played 29 times for the Glens last season, helping the club win the County Antrim Shield during his sole season with the east Belfast side.

Hamilton started his youth career with Glentoran before moving to Aberdeen.

He has been training with the Crues since January after being released by the Scottish side.

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Midfielder Philip Lowry has left Irish Premiership club Crusaders to join Championship side Limavady United.

After stints at Linfield and League of Ireland side Derry City, the 35-year-old moved to Crusaders in 2016 and was a key player under Stephen Baxter and Declan Caddell.

Lowry's time at Seaview has now come to a close, and he will now join his brother, Stephen, at the Limavady Showgrounds.

In his time with Linfield and Crusaders, Lowry won four league titles and six Irish Cups, as well as three County Antrim Shields.

"To bring someone of that quality to our club is a massive coup," said Limavady manager Paul Owens.

"I feel Philip is still one of the top midfielders in the country.

"It's clear he is still as hungry as ever for success and we can't wait to welcome him to the group."

Lowry helped Crusaders to a fifth-place finish in the Irish Premiership, while Limavady came fourth in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Crusaders have signed 22-year-old former Glentoran midfielder Finley Thorndike on a two-year deal.

Thorndike, who was previously on the books of West Brom, Birmingham City and Aston Villa as an academy player, moved to the Irish Premiership last season with the Glens and scored a winner in extra-time in the Irish Cup sixth round against Linfield.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

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Dundee want to speak to Linfield boss David Healy about their managerial vacancy at Dens Park.

Last month the Dark Blues sacked Tony Docherty one day after securing their Scottish Premiership status for next season in the final game of the campaign.

Healy, who is the Northern Ireland men's team's record goalscorer, has been in charge of Linfield since 2015 with a club spokesperson confirming to BBC Sport NI that the terms of the 45-year-old's contract allow him to discuss the move.

This season's Irish Premiership title was Healy's sixth at the Windsor Park helm with the Blues finishing 22 points ahead of Larne.

He has also won two Irish Cups, three BetMcLean Cups and one County Antrim Shield during his time in charge of the Blues.

In August, the former Manchester United and Rangers striker turned down the opportunity to take over at Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers and said he was "content" at Linfield.

Former Celtic midfielder Shaun Maloney, as well as former Dundee players Charlie Adam and Temuri Ketsbaia, have also been linked to the role.

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Former Linfield defender Matthew Clarke has returned to the Irish Premiership with Ballymena United.

The 31-year-old joins the Sky Blues after a year with Scottish Championship side Livingston.

During his time with Livi, he helped the club return to the top-flight and won the Challenge Cup.

Clarke won five Gibson Cups, two Irish Cups, three League Cups and two County Antrim Shields during his 11 years with Linfield.

He becomes Ballymena's second signing after striker Ryan McNickle, and boss Jim Ervin says the arrival of Clarke "is a big coup".

"When a player of his calibre comes up, you'd be stupid not to be interested and after a few conversations, thankfully he thought here was the place for him," he told the club's website.

"The experience he brings with him is huge from our point of view. Matthew can play a variety of positions, so it's huge for us with what we're looking to do."

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League of Ireland Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers have completed the signing of forward John McGovern from Irish Premiership side Dungannon Swifts.

The 22-year-old striker joins Rovers for an undisclosed fee.

McGovern was a key figure in Dungannon's successful 2024-25 season, which saw them finish fourth in the league and win the Irish Cup by beating Cliftonville 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 after extra-time, thereby securing European football for the Stangmore Park outfit.

The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international and Newry City frontman scored the opening goal in the showpiece decider and contributed 14 league goals in 29 appearances for Rodney McAree's team.

"After many weeks of negotiations, the club agreed a transfer fee with Dungannon Swifts which will remain undisclosed," read a statement from the Dublin club on Tuesday.

"This transfer is subject to International and Domestic clearance which, when approved, would allow John to be available for selection from July 1st, 2025.

"John has attracted much interest in recent months but has been fully committed in his desire to play for Shamrock Rovers."

Speaking on the Shamrock Rovers club website, external, manager Stephen Bradley explained that he had McGovern in his sights for "over a year".

"We were up quite a lot to watch John. We tried quite a bit over the last year to get him, but it wasn't possible.

"John was at university and Dungannon weren't ready to sell at that moment in time. So, it was a case of continuing to monitor John and thankfully we've got him in now.

"We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait on John as he was someone we'd monitored for quite some time. He fits the group, has a good age profile and we really like what he's about. So we waited and now we got it done."

McGovern told the club's website that it was "a no-brainer" to make the move.

"I'm absolutely delighted. It's a massive club, the biggest in the country. You look at the success Shamrock Rovers have had in recent years and throughout the club's history.

"I want to win trophies, I want to win medals, and continue the legacy of the club."

Rovers are six points clear of nearest challengers Drogheda United at the top of the Premier Division table.

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Larne have reinstalled Nathan Rooney as manager following the Englishman's enrolment on his Uefa Pro Licence course.

In December, just three weeks on from succeeding Tiernan Lynch in the Inver Park dugout, Rooney moved into the club's head of football role after it emerged he was unable to lead Larne in their Uefa Conference League campaign as he did not hold the required licence.

With Rooney having been accepted on to his Pro Licence course in March, he returns to his original position.

Gary Haveron, who took over head coaching duties for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, returns to his role as Rooney's assistant.

"It has been a period of change for us all, including our amazing fanbase, who has continued to bring the noise and energy to every matchday since my arrival," said Rooney.

"I appreciate all of you and it's our job as a group to continue working hard to achieve new goals whilst working smartly through both the smooth and difficult times.

"I want to express my thanks to Gary Haveron who has been a great professional to work alongside and his work ethic to keep pushing the team has been second to none – I thank him for his support throughout this period."

Rooney, who was brought in from Gibraltar side Bruno's Magpies, added: "Gary will continue to play a major role as an experienced professional who is highly thought of in the local area and the Irish Premiership.

"Our job now is to hit the ground running in pre-season, develop our younger players, implement a playing style which can be exciting to watch and provide an energy which brings us all together on and off the pitch and we will see where it takes us."

Larne chairman Gareth Clements said the past few months have "allowed Nathan to do a lot of the groundwork across the whole club and we're now looking forward to having him lead all aspects of our senior men's team".

"We are very excited to see how Nathan will shape the playing squad as pre-season preparations get underway in the coming weeks," added Clements.

"On behalf of everyone at the club, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Gary Haveron for how he stepped up to lead first team affairs since the middle of December.

"Clinching automatic European qualification at the end of a 60-game season, with all the demands placed on the team this season domestically and in Europe, was a huge achievement."

Larne finished second in the Irish Premiership, 22 points behind champions Linfield, and were knocked out of the Irish Cup fifth round by Limavady United.

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Crusaders and Derry City picked up away wins in the Women's Premiership with victories over Lisburn Ladies and Larne.

Alison McMaster and Beth Chalmers scored as the Crues sealed a 2-0 win to move level on points with league leaders Glentoran.

After a goalless first half, substitute McMaster scored moments after coming on to break the deadlock on 57 minutes.

Jonny Tuffey's side doubled their lead through Chalmers nine minutes later to secure all three points.

Derry City had a more emphatic victory as they beat Larne 4-0 at Inver Park for their first win of the season.

Cache Crumlin-Hawes opened the scoring after just seven minutes before Rachel McIntyre added a second on 30 minutes.

Caoimhe Walsh and Tara O'Connor-Farren completed the win with second-half goals for the Candstripes.

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Defender Billy Joe Burns and forward Adam Lecky will both join Carrick Rangers upon the expiration of their contracts with Crusaders.

Former Crues captain Burns spent 11 years with the Seaview club, making 423 appearances and scoring 33 goals after signing in 2014.

He played a key role in helping the club secure three Irish Premiership titles, three Irish Cup victories and two County Antrim Shield triumphs.

Before that, Burns spent eight years at Linfield where he also won three Premiership titles and three Irish Cups.

Thirty-four-year-old striker Lecky arrives at Taylors Avenue after six seasons with the Crues.

He scored 34 goals in 162 appearances for the north Belfast side and previously had spells at Ballymena United, Dergview and Ballinamallard.

Both players will be reunited with former Crues boss Stephen Baxter at Taylors Avenue, something that Burns said attracted him to the club.

"I've worked with Stephen for so long, he knows a lot about me, I know a lot about him, so that was quite simple," he told the club's website.

"I've spoken with players who have been here before and everyone has had nice things to say, so it was quite an easy decision.

"I'm excited for a fresh challenge, something new after a long period at Crusaders, I can't wait to get started."

Lecky added: "I'm looking forward to it being a fresh start and getting going during pre-season. There's a lot of quality in the squad. I don't see why we can't push up to get sixth or seventh spot as well as targeting the cups."

The two players follow another former Crusaders midfielder Aidan Steele, in arriving at Carrick after Steele joined from Ards.

Elsewhere, Ballymena United have announced the signing of striker Ryan McNickle on a two-year-deal.

The 25-year-old arrives from Newry City after scoring 20 goals in the Championship as his side suffered relegation.

Full-back Mal Smith will join Irish Cup champions Dungannon Swifts upon the expiry of his contract with Crusaders.

The 24-year-old came through Glentoran's academy and had a spell on loan at Ballymena before spending two seasons at the Crues.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Linfield manager David Healy has distanced himself from rumours suggesting he may be interested in taking the vacant Dundee job.

The Scottish Premiership side are looking for a new manager after sacking Tony Docherty at the end of the season.

But Healy expressed his desire to build on the success he had this season with the Blues after guiding them to the Irish Premiership title before the split.

"I am going to Scotland this weekend but no [not for a job interview] and I'm not going to the Scottish Cup final," he told BBC Sport NI.

Healy was speaking after becoming the first recipient of the Manager of the Year award at the Ulster Footballer of the Year award.

He signed a one-year contract extension at Linfield last August after rejecting the chance to take over at Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers.

And Healy hopes to have clarity about his future at the Blues resolved before pre-season.

"I'm sure I'll sit down and talk about the contract, I've been successful, and I think the club know what they're going to get out of me," he added.

"I shouldn't see why it can't come to a conclusion; I think it has been timing and circumstances [as reasons why it hasn't yet been resolved].

"I contemplated a change last summer [moving to Raith] because I didn't know where I stood, but hopefully with the success this year, going forward we can build on that."

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Linfield forward Joel Cooper has been named as Ulster Footballer of the Year.

Cooper, who will join Coleraine in the summer, scored 19 league goals as the Blues won the Gibson Cup before the split.

He was also named Northern Ireland Writers Player of the Year and PFA NI Premiership Player of the Year.

Northern Ireland winger Danielle Maxwell was chosen as Women's Player of the Year.

Maxwell scored 11 goals as she helped Cliftonville to an unbeaten Women's Premiership campaign before moving to Burnley.

Blues defender Matthew Orr was named Men's Young Player of the Year after playing a key role in the title win in his first season with the first team.

Glentoran striker Kascie Weir won the inaugural Women's Young Player of the Year following a breakout season with the Glens and Northern Ireland.

In her fourth cap for her country, the 18-year-old scored the winner against Romania last month in the Nations League.

Linfield boss David Healy was the first recipient of the Manager of the Year award after winning his sixth Gibson Cup with the club.

After helping Bangor to promotion by scoring 24 league goals, Ben Arthurs picked up the Championship Player of the Year award.

Sean McKinney was awarded Disability Player of the Year after his stellar contributions for the Northern Ireland powerchair football team and his club Belfast Trailblazers PFC.

Departing Linfield physio Terry Hayes received the Dr Malcom Brodie Lifetime Achievement award as he brought the curtain down on a 50-year association with the club as both a player and physio.

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Winger Jordan Stewart has returned to Glentoran on a two-year deal after 10 seasons away from the Oval.

The 30-year-old came through the ranks at the east Belfast club and made his debut for the Glens in 2013.

After winning the Irish Cup in 2015, he made the move to Swindon Town that summer and spent two years with the Robins before returning to the Irish Premiership with Glentoran's fierce rivals Linfield.

He spent seven seasons at Windsor Park, winning the league on four occasions, with his final campaign including a loan spell at Glenavon.

After representing Crusaders last season, Stewart said he will be back at Glentoran with "a real drive to make an impact".

"I'm absolutely buzzing to be back," he told Glentoran's official website.

"This is where my football journey began - the club that gave me my first opportunity in senior football and played a huge part in shaping my career.

"I had a great first spell here, but I've returned with even more hunger and a real drive to make an impact.

"I know I've got to earn the trust of the Glentoran fans again and the best way to do that is by working hard and letting my football do the talking."

Glentoran have already confirmed that Scottish midfielder Liam Burt will join the club ahead of next season, with Fuad Sule, Kodi Lyons-Foster, Niall McGinn and Jay Donnelly among those to depart.

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Coleraine will sign Kodi Lyons-Foster from Irish Premiership rivals Glentoran at the conclusion of his contract at the Oval next month.

Lyons-Foster impressed during his one season with Glentoran having previously spent time in the academy structures at Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

The 28-year-old defender has signed a "multi-year" deal with the Bannsiders who finished fifth in the league this season before replacing manager Dean Shiels with Ruaidhri Higgins and losing the European play-off final to Cliftonville.

"After speaking to Ruaidhri, I was excited by the plans for the future and the ambition around the club," Lyons-Foster told Coleraine's club website.

"I've really enjoyed my time in the league and I'm grateful to Glentoran, but this felt like the right move for me.

"I've heard brilliant things about the fans and the atmosphere at The Showgrounds, and when I played there this season it really stood out. I'm excited about what's ahead and buzzing to get started."

Coleraine have already signed Irish Premiership player of the season Joel Cooper from Linfield for next season after "significant investment" from new majority owner Henry Ross.

For Glentoran, it is the second prominent departure in three days after it was confirmed on Friday that Fuad Sule will also sign elsewhere upon the conclusion of his contract.

Both Sule and Lyons-Foster were voted onto the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association Team of the Year for last season.

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Cliftonville's record goalscorer Joe Gormley has penned a one-year contract extension at Solitude.

The 35-year-old, who has scored 294 times in 527 games for the club, was the Irish Premiership's top scorer this season with his 20 goals as he helped the Reds qualify for Europe.

The former Peterborough United striker also scored the winning goal in his side's 1-0 victory over Glentoran in the BetMcLean Cup final in March.

Gormley had previously thought this season would be his last but will now play on for at least another year and receive a testimonial from the club.

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Crusaders have signed defender Kurtis Forsythe from fellow Irish Premiership side Carrick Rangers.

The 22-year-old right back becomes Declan Caddell's second summer signing and will join on a three-year-deal upon the expiration of his contract with Carrick.

Forsythe came through the Gers' academy, making his debut in 2020.

The full-back made 160 appearances for Carrick during his five seasons with the first team, scoring three goals in that period.

Caddell said that he was "absolutely thrilled" to welcome the defender to Seaview.

"He's a player we have admired for some time and he fits perfectly into the style and mentality we are building here," he told the club's website.

"At just 22 he already has great experience in the league and we believe his best years are ahead of him.

"He brings quality, drive and a fantastic attitude, we can't wait to see him in a Crusaders shirt."

Crusaders also added Scottish winger Keiran McKechnie to their squad earlier this week.

The 24-year-old arrives on a two-year deal, which will commence following the expiration of his current contract with Arbroath.

McKechnie came through the Rangers academy and also had a spell with Queen of the South.

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Crusaders have confirmed the departure from the club of skipper Billy Joe Burns upon the expiration of his contract this summer.

The former Linfield defender has spent 11 years with the Seaview club, making 423 appearances and scoring 33 goals since signing for the north Belfast outfit in 2014.

During his spell with the Crues, Burns played a key role in helping the club secure three Irish Premiership titles, three Irish Cup victories and two County Antrim Shield triumphs.

The 36-year-old also picked up accolades, collecting the Ulster Footballer of the Year and NIFWA Footballer of the Year in the 2015-16 season.

His playing time has been restricted by injury in recent seasons.

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell said: "BJ has been an incredible servant to this football club.

"I had the privilege of sharing the pitch with him as a team-mate and it's been an honour to manage him as a player.

"He's a leader, a winner, and someone who always gives everything for the cause.

"He'll be missed massively but he leaves with our gratitude and full respect."

The Irish Premiership club also revealed that Adam Lecky and Jimmy Callacher were leaving Seaview.

Lecky joined Crusaders from Ballymena United in 2019 and was instrumental in the club's 2022 Irish Cup triumph over his former side.

He made 162 appearances, scoring 34 goals.

Callacher signed for the Crues in 2023 after a long and distinguished career with Linfield and played 43 times.

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Glentoran midfielder Fuad Sule is among five players who will depart the Oval at the conclusion of their contracts this summer.

The 28-year-old joined from Larne in 2023 and has been an influential figure under Glens boss Declan Devine, often captaining the side in the absence of usual skipper Marcus Kane.

In what proved to be Sule's final game for the east Belfast club, they drew 0-0 with Larne on the final day to miss out on automatic European qualification for next season with the former Bohemians man handed a six-game ban for his role in a post-match brawl.

Glentoran, who won the County Antrim Shield in January, spent much of the Irish Premiership season in second place but endured a disappointing end to their campaign that saw them fall into third on the penultimate weekend, leaving them requiring victory in that game at Inver Park on the final day.

They were also knocked out of the Irish Cup by second-tier Bangor before losing the BetMcLean Cup final to Cliftonville and suffering defeat to the same opposition in the semi-finals of the European play-off.

Forward Wassim Aouachria and midfielder Finley Thorndike, who joined the side last summer, will both leave Glentoran after one season.

Former top goalscorer Jay Donnelly and Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn, who were on loan at Newington and Greenock Morton respectively, will also depart the club, while defender Paddy McClean has been put on the transfer list.

Glentoran have already confirmed the signing of midfielder Liam Burt.

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Strikers Ruaidhri Donnelly and Destiny Ojo will depart Cliftonville upon the expiration of their contracts.

Donnelly brings the curtain down on an injury-hit third spell with the Reds after joining in July 2024.

The 33-year-old made just 13 league appearances, the last of which came in November.

He found the net once, scoring once in a 3-1 defeat against Larne in September.

"I want thank Jim [Magilton] for the chance he gave me to put a Reds top back on, always an honour wearing that top," Donnelly posted on X, external.

"It has been a difficult and frustrating season on and off the pitch for myself and I truly believe no player deserves a contract without fighting for one, which I was unable to do due to injury.

"The Reds fan base is something else. Thank you, Cliftonville Football Club, once a Red, always a Red."

Donnelly made 70 appearances during his first spell with the north Belfast side before impressive form earned a move to Swansea City in January 2012.

Also representing Tranmere Rovers and Gillingham while playing in England, he returned to Cliftonville in the summer of 2017.

The forward then joined Glentoran on transfer deadline day in January 2021 and also had a spell at Newington in the Championship.

Ojo signed in August last year after being released by Portsmouth and featured 14 times for the Reds in all competitions.

He scored twice in Cliftonville's run to the BetMcLean League Cup final, including a dramatic extra time winner against Larne in the semi-final win.

The 20-year-old was an unused substitute in Jim Magilton's side 1-0 victory over Glentoran in the decider.

"Thank you for everything last season, all the best for the future," he said in a post on X, external.

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Midfielder Kris Lowe has left Cliftonville will join fellow Irish Premiership side Glenavon upon the expiration of his contract with the Reds.

The 29-year-old spent four and a half years with the north Belfast side after being signed by Paddy McLaughlin from Dungannon Swifts in January 2021.

Lowe won the Irish Cup and two BetMcLean League Cups during his time at Solitude.

He previously spent eight years with the Swifts where he also won a League Cup in 2018.

Lowe will be reunited with McLaughlin at the Lurgan Blues and becomes their third signing after Oran O'Kane joined from H&W Welders and Jordan McMullen arrived from Ballymena.

McLaughlin said he was "absolutely delighted" with the addition of Lowe to his squad as they look to build on their 10th place finish last year.

"I've worked with him before and I'm a huge admirer of his qualities. He can play at a high level in a number of positions. Essentially, he's a midfielder but he can operate at right-back and centre-half as well with no problem," McLaughlin told the Glenavon website.

"His quality has been evident, but his calmness, his positivity and his athleticism are also great attributes to have.

"As a part-time club it's important that we stay in touch as much as possible with the full-time teams and bringing in someone like Kris will help us do that."