Waterford continue recruitment run with signing of Sligo Rovers defender Mahon

Mahon makes the switch to the RSC having spent almost ten years with Sligo Rovers across two spells with the Bit O’Red.

Sat, 27 Dec, 2025 - 20:28

Staff

Waterford have continued with a busy festive recruitment season as they unveiled veteran central defender John Mahon as the newest arrival in the southeast on Saturday night.

Mahon makes the switch to the RSC having spent almost ten years with Sligo Rovers across two spells with the Bit O’Red.

The 26 year-old joined the Sligo Rovers academy in 2015, before making his first-team debut aged just 17 in 2017 in a 1-0 League Cup win away to Finn Harps in Ballybofey. He made his Premier Division debut the following season, before earning a new two-year deal with the club.

"I knew this was the right place for me." 🗣

Our newest Blue gave us his first thoughts after becoming our latest signing ✍#WaterfordFC pic.twitter.com/wIlrTalTRu
— Waterford FC (@WaterfordFCie) December 27, 2025

Mahon earned a move to Scottish Premiership side St. Johnstone in January of 2022 – a season where he played an important role keeping the Saints in the Scottish Premiership as they defeated Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Premiership Play-Off Final to secure their status in the Scottish top flight for the 2022/23 campaign.

Mahon returned back to Sligo Rovers ahead of the 2023 League of Ireland season, where he made 28 appearances in all competitions. However just two games into the 2024 season, Mahon suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon that saw him sidelined until the final two games of the season.

This past season saw Mahon named club captain, as he guided Sligo to an eighth place finish in the 2025 Premier Division campaign, as he now becomes Jon Daly’s latest permanent signing with the Blues.

Speaking to the club’s media team on his move to the Blues, Mahon said: “I’m delighted to be here, it felt like the right time for a fresh start and after talking to Jon and seeing the training ground I knew this was the right place for me. I’m looking forward to meeting the lads and getting straight to work now.”

Daly is delighted to welcome Mahon to the club as his latest signing, saying: “John is a top professional and a very reliable defender. He understands what it takes to compete in this league week in, week out, and he’ll add real strength and organisation to our back line.

"I was keen to bring in someone with John’s experience and character. He’s a competitor, he sets standards, and he’ll be a big presence in the dressing room as well as on the pitch.”