Ciaron Harkin- 'This year hasn't gone how I wanted it to go'

Ciaron Harkin admitted that not playing enough football at Derry City was the reason for his departure from the club after six years.

The midfielder, who joined Derry City in 2019, made 109 appearances for his hometown club, scoring six goals, including a hat trick against Finn Harps in his debut season.

Harkin had to overcome great adversity during his time at the club, suffering two ACL injuries which forced him to miss the 2022 and 2023 seasons, before he made his comeback last year. Unable to regain his place in the first team, Harkin went out on loan to Coleraine last year, but returned at the start of the season hoping to rebuild his career at the Brandywell. But it didn’t work out as he hoped, with the 29-year-old making just six appearances under Tiernan Lynch this season. He has now joined Sligo until the end of the season with an option for another year and he admitted he just wants to get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

“This year hasn't gone the way I wanted it to go,” he explained. “I haven't been playing much but I've been staying fit and waiting for my opportunity. There were talks of me maybe leaving a month or two ago and it wasn't something I wanted to do at the time but when John (Russell) contacted me, straight away I was excited and it was something I wanted to do. I'm delighted it happened and excited to get going.”

The season has been a bit of a struggle for Sligo, but they have bounced back well recently with good results against Shamrock Rovers and Derry City boosting confidence around the club.

“It wasn't that long ago we were down here, and lost 2-0 down here,” Harkin continued. “I saw it with my own two eyes how well they play, attacking football that they have. It's something that excited me. That did help sway my decision, I'm delighted to get going and hopefully I can bring something else to it.”

Having made just two starts in 10 appearances for Derry City since the start of the 2024 season, Harkin is keen to put a difficult spell in his career behind him.  

“It has been tough, not just this year, the last few years after coming back from injuries,” he acknowledged. “I went out on loan last year, got some game time. After that, coming back this year I haven't played as much as I wanted to play. It's a new challenge now and hopefully I get game time and get back to full fitness.”

“It was tough at the time. It's something that I don't even think about anymore, it doesn't even cross my mind, I'm well past it. I've been training the last few years injury free and I'm looking forward to getting a run of games together.”

Delighted

Sligo boss John Russell, who recently signed another Derry man in Patrick McClean, believes that signing Harkin is a great piece if business for the club.

“It’s a brilliant signing,” he insisted. “A player I've always admired. He's a midfielder who can do a bit of everything. He's tenacious, good on the ball, legs, energy, he's coming to us at the stage of his career for a fresh challenge.

“He's a Derry boy, he's had his injuries in the past but he's over those now. He's hungry to play, sitting on the bench is not easy for any player but especially at his age, he's in the prime of his career, 28/29. That's when you're at your best.

“He has experienced an awful lot. For him to come down here, in the dressing room he'll be brilliant and on the pitch he'll be brilliant. I want to try and build a squad that can continue to help us win matches and challenge the so-called bigger resourced clubs and bigger clubs in the league. Competition for places is good. He's a quality addition to the group, it gives everyone a lift. We've brought in a few players in this window and it's definitely helped us.”

Of the many benefits of signing Harkin, Russell highlighted the experience he will bring to a strong which he believes was perhaps too young at the start of the season.

“That's exactly what he brings, quality on the ball and into the team. But also that know-how, game management. Also to help the young players. That's one thing we pride ourselves on in Sligo, bringing lads through the academy and signing the best young talent and developing them but you need that sprinkle of experience around the group and that was something I identified in the first half of the season, that we were probably too young.”