Dundalk will look into Shepperd return

Jon Daly has remained coy on suggestions goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd could make a sensational return to Dundalk FC when the summer transfer window opens next month.

Former Wales U21 international Shepperd spent two seasons with The Lilywhites after being signed by Stephen O’Donnell in 2022, but left the club at the end of last season.

Although personal terms on a contract between Dundalk and Shepperd were understood to have been agreed at that time, no such compromise with the 23-year-old’s representatives were reached, with the player later signing for Wycombe Wanderers.

However, his release from the English League One side will be ratified at the end of this month, paving the way for a possible return to Oriel Park under new manager Daly.

“I know he’s free,” said Daly. “He’s a good goalkeeper, but there’s obviously a lot of good goalkeepers out there that we’ll be looking at. Nathan was a good goalkeeper for Dundalk and we’ll see. We’ll obviously look at our different options and what we have.”

Dundalk are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper after ex-Nottingham Forest man George Shelvey departed the club following a mutual agreement last Wednesday.

Shelvey, who played nine times in this season’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, was serving a 10-match ban for using discriminatory language towards referee Robert Harvey at the end of the fixture with Drogheda United at Weavers Park on May 6th.

Less than 24 hours after announcing that Shelvey had moved on, the club confirmed Peter Cherrie’s return as goalkeeping coach. The 40-year-old Scot, who kept goal more than 230 times across two separate spells at Oriel, has also been registered as a player.

“I spoke to Peter a couple of times about coming in as the goalkeeping coach,” said Daly. “He’s still in great condition, in great shape, so he could potentially go in if need be.

"I told him that he’s not coming in to dislodge the number one, he’s coming in to make them better and that’s the main focus for him.

"He’s on his (UEFA) A Licence now at the minute and he’s trying to develop himself as a coach. He’s an ex-Dundalk man and from the area in terms of where he lives, so it’s great to have someone like that back in and about the club and giving the place a real lift.

“You could see the reaction of the fans to him coming back, which is pleasing, so I’m looking forward to working with him and watching him develop the goalkeeping department.”

Cherrie, who joins former Bray Wanderers boss Graham Kelly on Daly’s backroom team, will provide emergency cover for fellow Scotsman Ross Munro, who after Friday night’s 0-0 draw with Derry City, has kept clean sheets in each of his last four outings at Oriel.

“He made a good save and he done well,” reflected Daly. “He had the one little situation where he carried the ball outside the box, probably a lapse of concentration, but apart from that, I think that was probably his only error, his only mistake all night.

“I thought he was very good. I’m very pleased for him and delighted for him as well. It’s a clean sheet, which he’ll be really happy with.”

In terms of outfield options, another player being linked with a Dundalk return is Greg Sloggett, who attended the stalemate with Derry, a club for which he also had a spell.

As is the case with Shepperd, Sloggett’s contract with Cheltenham Town formally expires at the end of the month, with the player not part of their plans going forward.

The 27-year-old Meath-native, who turns 28 next month, spent four seasons with The Lilywhites, playing over 130 matches, before signing for Cheltenham back in February.

Definitely on Daly’s radar is former Dundalk academy player Gabriel Adebambo, who has been without a club for almost a year following his departure from Stoke City.

The ex-De La Salle pupil, who operates as a midfielder, joined Stoke from The Lilywhites in 2020 and featured on the bench several times for the English Championship side. The 22-year-old is understood to have been training with the club since March.

“He’s one that was in training with the group prior to me coming in,” explained Daly. “He’s one that I was trying to get in to train at Pats to have a look at as well. I’ll obviously get a good look at him now in the next few weeks and see where we go with that one.”

Dundalk are, however, facing a battle to keep hold of their player of the year Archie Davies, who has been linked with a potential move to league rivals St Patrick’s Athletic.

Meanwhile, the second-round draw for this season’s Sports Direct FAI Cup takes place on Thursday (from 12.30pm) and will be streamed live on the FAI’s YouTube channel.