Darragh O'Connor swaps City for Falkirk for the rest of the season in loan deal
YORK City centre-back Darragh O'Connor has joined Falkirk on loan for the rest of the season.
O'Connor initially joined York in the Summer from Greenock Morton, where he had impressed in the Scottish Championship for the Ton.
However, his move across the border and into England hasn't panned out the way in which he would have liked, with a groin injury hampering his time on the pitch for City so far.
The 25-year-old has managed just five competitive appearances all season after suffering an injury in York's 2-0 win at Wealdstone in September, that saw O'Connor out of action for just shy of five months.
He also made just two starts in his time, once in a 2-2 draw at Sutton United, and in that match at Wealdstone where he was injured.
After five months on the treatment table, O'Connor made his long-awaited return to action in Saturday's FA Trophy defeat at Gainsborough Trinity, replacing Cameron John in the 72nd minute.
He joins a Falkirk side currently flying in the Scottish Championship, holding top position despite only gaining promotion from the Scottish League One the season prior.
They've accumulated 42 points from 19 matches so far and have a game in hand on both Ayr United and Livingston, who are hoping to catch John McGlynn's side.
The idea behind the move is to allow O'Connor to gain match fitness after recovering from his injury, with York manager Adam Hinshelwood confirming the loan move in Wednesday's press conference.
Hinshelwood commented: “Darragh is coming back so he’ll be one that we’ll look to loan out until the end of the season to get some regular game time."
McGlynn, Falkirk's manager, said on the club website: “We are delighted to sign Darragh O’Connor on loan, he’s a centre half who I first came across when he was playing for Motherwell and was on loan with Queen of the South, and we really liked the look of him from that time.
"He had been at Leicester as an under-21, so they saw something in him early in his career, and after Motherwell he went on to play plenty of games in the Championship with Morton.
“He has been with York City this year, unfortunately he has had an injury, but he is over that now and he’s coming in to give us some extra push and strength and depth at the back, it makes us very strong in every department across the team now.”
O'Connor could make his Falkirk debut on Saturday, with a home match against Queen's Park (3pm).
