In-form Limerick striker signs for English League One side

LIMERICK-BORN striker Ronan Coughlan has signed for English League One club Fleetwood Town from League of Ireland Premier Division side Waterford FC.

Twenty seven-year-old Coughlan, who joins Sky Bet League One Fleetwood from their sister club over in Ireland, netted 37 goals in all competitions last campaign and broke the First Division scoring record, the all-time Waterford record for the most goals in a single season, whilst also helping the Blues secure promotion in the process.

Coughlan scored the winner in Waterford in their 2-1 play-off final win over rivals Cork City back in November which secured their promotion to the Premier Division for 2024.

The experienced forward has already spent time in England, having been at Championship side Huddersfield Town between 2014 and 2017, before heading back to Ireland to feature for Bray Wanderers, Cork City, Sligo Rovers, and St. Patrick's Athletic.

He will now test himself in League One having just signed an 18-month contract subject to international clearance.

"Fleetwood had always shown a keen interest in me" ️

Watch the extended interview with our new forward on iFollow #OnwardTogether | @Ronancoughlan10

— Fleetwood Town FC (@ftfc) January 3, 2024

Ronan Coughlan joined Limerick FC as a 16 year old after playing schoolboy football with Mungret Regional. He was a member of the Limerick Regional Emerging Talent Centre and won local league cups from U-11 to U-16 and holds local league medals at U-11 and 12.

He represented Munster in the FAI U-17 Interprovincial Tournament in Wexford in 2012/13 season and played for Limerick’s under 17s and under 19s.

The Limerick man moved to Huddersfield Town from Limerick FC in July 2014 where he spent three years.

After returning to Ireland, he initially joined Bray Wanderers before playing a single season with Cork City in 2018.

Coughlan then had two seasons at Sligo Rovers where he scored 14 goals in 47 league appearance before moving to St Patrick's Athletic for the 2021 season, before switching to Waterford.

Speaking to the Fleetwood Town website about his move to the cross-channel, Coughlan said: “I’m delighted to be here, it took a while to get over the line, but it’s finally happened so I can’t wait to get going. I’ve always wanted to test myself, like any player and, for me, it’s always to push on and play at the highest level I can.

“You couldn’t write a better ending to my time over at Waterford, could you? When I went there, all I wanted to do was get the club promoted and to finally do that and even get the goal in the final that sent them up was the cherry on top for me.

“All of the lads have helped me settle in; when I first found out they were interested, I spoke to Barry [Baggley] about the club and he always had good things to say and that was important for me and the other I knew from Waterford all said the same things.”