Tim Clancy: Connection to Cork City brought Seani Maguire and Ruairí Keating back, not money

The Rebel Army are currently marching towards the First Division title – they are 15 points clear of second-placed Athlone Town, whom they welcome to Turner’s Cross tonight (kick-off is at 7.45pm) – and have, therefore, pressed ahead with plans for their return to the top-flight.

The club have been boosted financially by Jake O’Brien’s transfer from Lyon to Everton – they are likely to received approximately €350,000 from the deal – along with youngster Jaden Umeh’s move to Benfica, from which they will receive ‘training compensation’ under FIFA compensation regulations, with further future benefits based on the player’s progression.

City acted quickly to complete the signings of Keating and Maguire, who had been released by St Pats and Carlisle United respectively, and manager Tim Clancy was keen to state that the duo didn’t move back to the club for money.

“I know there has been a lot of noise in the press in regard to what I said a few weeks back,” began Clancy, referring to his comments on the sustainability of the ‘massive, massive wages’ on offer in the Premier Division.

“I know managers have come out and said that I’m talking now, and I can’t talk anymore. I know that manager in particular has a centre back on the same amount of money that Ruairí Keating is on here.

“Both Seani and Keats wanted to be at this club, that’s why they are here. They had multiple options in the Premier Division and financially better options in the Premier Division as well.

“I think the pull of this place, the connection they had with the fans and the club, this is where they wanted to play football and the club have made that happen with good contracts.

“The most important thing for us was that they didn't come here for financial reasons, they are here because they want to be at the club.”

That manager in question is former City striker and current Galway United boss John Caulfield, who told the Irish Examiner last Friday night that Clancy ‘won’t be moaning anymore with what they’re paying.’

Speaking on Thursday, Clancy continued; “John is very experienced. He knows what he is at.

“With the history John has at this club, as a player, top goal-scorer and the most successful manager the club has ever had too, and the respect I have for John for what he has done in the game, listen, I look at those comments and it is a part of the game.

“It's what you have to do as a manager, you deflect, you can put narratives out there. If you look at the season Galway are having this year, if Shels go on and win the league it's unbelievable for Damien Duff, but if you look at the likes of John, Keith Long and John Russell and the jobs they are doing at their clubs, it’s phenomenal.

“John is having a brilliant season at Galway and hopefully we can join them next season in the Premier Division.”

Clancy confirmed that Keating and Maguire will be involved against Athlone tonight and while he expects the two to receive an incredibly warm welcome from the City fans, he has cautioned supporters against expecting too much too soon from the forwards as they both look to rebuild their fitness.

"I don't want to sound disrespectful to anyone in the division, but probably in the last two months or so we've had such a big gap at the top of the league, it has probably felt a little bit flat, that we were going through the motions, that we could go out and grind out a win.

“The excitement and edge probably left us a little in regard to the inevitability of us possibly going on and winning the game 1-0. I think this has brought a little spark back to the fan-base and to players, staff, and everyone at the club.

“When you can get two players back to the club who have a really good connection to the club and also to the fan-base, it has given everyone a lift.

“Seani has missed pre-season in the UK. He has done a couple of weeks in the PFA camp in the UK, and he is obviously a very professional player who has looked after himself.

“He's going to be bedded back into the squad. Keats is in a similar position where he has had an ankle injury and he hasn't played a lot of football in the last few weeks, so it's not going to be a case of, there you go, 90 minutes every week.

“But again, we are looking forward to hopefully having them both on the pitch on Friday and build from there.”