Cork City 'keeper David Harrington agrees contract with Fleetwood Town

ON THE MOVE: David Harrington has agreed a three-year contract with Fleetwood Town. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

David Harrington has agreed a three-year contract with Fleetwood Town after a shoulder injury scuppered the Cork City goalkeeper’s move to Everton.

The 22-year-old aroused the interest of several cross-channel clubs by keeping 14 clean in 19 starts during his breakthrough season but missed the final three games of the First Division title run-in after torn cartilage in his shoulder caught up with him.

Out of contract once this season ended in October, City and Everton had agreed a six-figure upfront fee in lieu of Fifa compensation and Harrington met with the Toffees’ top brass including compatriot Alan Kelly, Frank Lampard’s goalkeeping coach.

Surgery stalled any prospective January switch to Goodison Park, allowing Fleetwood to reignite their pursuit and provide a clearer pathway to first-team exposure.

Scott Brown has Jay Lynch as his No 1 at the League One outfit, followed by Jakub Stolarczyk whom he has snared on loan from his former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City.

Harrington, who was set to challenge Brian Maher for the Ireland U21 jersey for the October playoff until the injury flared up against Galway, will undergo the remainder of his post-op rehabilitation at the Highbury Stadium once he moves officially on January 1.

The supportive sling he’s been wearing since the procedure will be removed this week but it won’t be until February at the earliest that he’s back fully fit and available for the Cod Army, whose owner Andy Pilley added Cork’s Munster rivals Waterford to his portfolio of clubs in August.

Rebels boss Colin Healy was already in the hunt for a new goalkeeper ahead of their Premier Division return in February, with the recruitment of an import a strong possibility.