Denise O’Sullivan and James McClean make their moves homeward bound

DERRY BOY: New Derry City signing James McClean speaks to the press. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.

There was a sense of homecoming to the weekend transfers by Ireland centurions by Denise O’Sullivan and James McClean.

The latter’s return to his hometown club of Derry City after 14 years in England at the age of 36 was long flagged.

O’Sullivan, who turns 32 next month hasn’t quite made it back to Cork but Liverpool, known to many as the 33rd Irish county, is an easier commute for her large family than North Carolina in the United States.

Both made their decisions based on personal criteria, yet not without footballing motivation.

Next year would mark the 30th anniversary of Derry City’s last Premier Division title and the addition of McClean to their squad is a major fillip towards their objective of avoiding the famine stretching to the last milestone.

McClean, whose brother Patrick rejoined the club too last week from Sligo Rovers, is not a typical 36-year-old whose body is in decline. Years of dedication to a fitness regime by the teetotaller made him renowned as the most durable player at Wrexham and Ireland over recent years.

Having been part of back-to-back promotions at Hollywood-influenced Wrexham, he’ll be cast into a leading role at the Candystripes right from the get-go of his two-year deal.

Local self-made billionaire Philip O’Doherty has supplied the funding in recent years for the team to compete but again last year they came up short by finishing runners-up to Shamrock Rovers.

O’Doherty’s stated aim after winning the FAI Cup in 2023 was usurping the Hoops as national kingpins and McClean’s debut will be the President’s Cup meeting at Rovers on January 31.

“I have said it before that the club has been ‘nearly men’ far too often now,” stated the returning hero.

“We’ve got the current player of the year in the squad in Mickey Duffy; I’ve played with Boycie (Liam Boyce) at underage and he’s got experience and quality; Carl Winchester has got great experience and we’ve got players who have a lot of experience and quality of playing at a higher level.

“Now it’s about combining that quality with belief to take the next step and that’s the only thing that matters.

“From the outside, it’s about blocking out all the noises and, in my mind, I’m just another player and I’m here to just try and bring success and the outside noise you can’t control, but I’ve always been good at blocking that out and just control on the job at hand and that’s what matters.”

Stephen Kenny was at the helm in the season McClean departed for Sunderland.

“I felt we were on the verge of winning the league back in 2011,” he reflects.

“Look, I wouldn’t say it’s ego, I felt that the way we were going in 2011, if I had stayed, we would have won the league.

“Maybe that’s just me giving myself little challenges and motivation to drive me on. I’ll drum that into my head that I owe the club a title and that will push me on to give more of myself.”

Liverpool’s women are not in the realm of their men’s team as perennial title contenders.

In fact, O’Sullivan joins the Reds at their lowest ebb for years. They’re rock bottom of the women’s super league on four points, with no wins from their opening 12 matches.

She ended a decade Stateside to join their survival quest in a move that was first flagged on New Year’s Eve in the Echo.

Liverpool forked out their record fee, believed to be £300,000 (€346,000) to secure the midfielder, immediately handing her the No 6 jersey and a debut in Sunday’s FA Cup tie.

O’Sullivan took just six minutes to pocket the opener of a 6-0 stroll but it’s the league domain, in which they face Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday and Manchester United seven days later, where her value will be measured.

“It means a lot," the Holyhill native said of the Merseyside move. "It's a very proud moment for myself and also for my family, who are now only a 40-minute flight away.

"Liverpool is a massive club and I think when you join a club as big as Liverpool it comes with massive responsibility."

Gareth Taylor believes the Leesider can be the bedrock to their revival.

“Denise's experience helps the team as well and I think she'll be a really big asset to us,” said the Liverpool manager.

“You know in the WSL when there's 10 games left and before you know it you're down to real low figures and there's still a bit of work to do.

“I think that helps the team and that's what we were looking to do. I think that was what was needed last summer but at that point we couldn't make the moves for players we wanted to and we had to wait until now to do that.”