Jordan McEneff signs a new two-year deal at Derry City

Ruaidhri Higgins has admitted that Jordan McEneff is like a new signing at Derry City after the midfielder signed a new two-year deal at the club.

The 21-year-old started 2022 on loan at Shelbourne before becoming a free agent in the summer having been released from Arsenal. He joined the Candystripes in August and made just four appearances before the end of the season.

However, Higgins decision to give McEneff FAI Cup final minutes was indicative of his belief in the youngster’s future, with his goal from the penalty spot in the dying minutes of the game a bonus for both the manager and the player.

“It is like a new signing,” Higgins said. “I knew the quality he had, I knew what he was about,  and it was just a matter of him staying fit and keeping fit and it was always the plan that if he could stay fit and he could train a lot of training seasons together over a period of time then this would happen. “It’s been well-documented that he hasn’t had much luck over the last few years, but he’s come in towards the back end of the summer, and he’s hardly missed a training session, he’s stayed fit and you could see week on week that he was getting fitter and stronger and his ability was shining through and I think he impressed, not only the coaching staff, but also his team mates.

For McEneff, it is a great show of faith from his local club after a difficult few years.

“As soon as the season finished, I spoke to the gaffer and I was buzzing that he wanted me here for another two years so I’m just delighted to get it done,” he said.

“It has been tough but I knew from speaking to Ruaidhri before I came in what it was going to be like. When I first came in I think they won their first 10 games so I came into a team that was doing well so I just had to keep my head, train hard and get as fit as I could to get ready for whenever he needed me.

“I don’t think I’ve been fitter in the last five or six years than I feel now at the minute, so hopefully I can get a good off-season, stay fit and go into pre-season in good shape.”