Pic: George Kelly
On Friday afternoon, it was confirmed that Conan Noonan was departing Shamrock Rovers permanently. The reported fee is in the region of €50,000, a club-record fee for Waterford FC. The 22-year-old spent the 2025 season on loan there and did not fail to impress, thus earning himself a permanent move. He made 34 appearances across the league and the FAI Cup, scoring seven goals.
Shamrock Rovers have plenty of talent in the midfield area; breaking into that in 2026 would have been a struggle. Despite that, Noonan appeared to have the elements of a first-team regular further down his career.
The transfer
Noonan joins Waterford FC on a permanent deal, the contract lasting three years. The fee is €50,000, giving Shamrock Rovers room to explore replacements in January. He scored the equalising goal in The Blues’ promotion/relegation play-off victory over Bray Wanderers.
Speaking to club media after the announcement, Noonan said, “I’m delighted to be back here permanently at the club. I loved every minute of last year & I’m really excited to get back in and playing under Jon Daly now.”
Jon Daly was appointed Waterford manager on 16 November. This signing marks the second of his reign as he offers to provide stability to a consistently altered position. The first being Benny Couto, who arrived from relegated Cork City.
Impact on Rovers’ squad
Shamrock Rovers have talent in plentiful supply in the middle of the pitch. Talents such as Dylan Watts, Matt Healy, Daniel Mandroiu and others have the midfield covered. The club have received a boost after recent news that Connor Malley will remain at the club past his loan spell.
Malley, similar to Noonan, has been largely impacted by injuries. The 25-year-old arrived at the Hoops in July and has made just six appearances. He suffered a grade one medial collateral ligament (MCL) knee injury in the 4-0 victory over Ballkani in August.
Another name that coincides with unconfirmed speculation is Jack Byrne. He will be expected to return to the 22-time champions in January, as manager Stephen Bradley mentioned positive discussions taking place in Dubai. If Byrne is to return and not find another club, he may prove to regain the invaluable status once held at Tallaght Stadium.
The online reaction to Noonan’s departure is largely negative from the Rovers faithful. The widespread opinion is that the club may, in turn, regret allowing the youngster to depart. Noonan is held in high regard by those at the club, and he may prove to be a valuable asset to his new club.
On the first-team fringes
Rovers fail to lack depth in the area that Noonan occupies. Aaron McEneff is yet another name to add to the list that showcases the quality in that position. Despite Noonan failing to reach first-team regular status, a pathway was clear to see that it was within reach.
Back in 2021, after the President’s Cup victory over St. Patrick’s Athletic, Bradley sang the praises of the Naas native. He said, “It’s not about age, profile, experience; if you’re ready, you’re ready, and Conan is ready. If I were one of the midfielders, I’d be looking over my shoulder because he’s ready to go.”
Unfortunately for Bradley and Noonan, he missed large spells of the 2022 season through injury and illness. This negatively impacted his opportunities of breaking through at the double champions. He was limited to just 10 appearances during 2023 and made 24 in 2024.
Long-term implications
Noonan departs for a club under the same ownership as Fleetwood Town. Andy Pilley, owner of the English club, completed a full takeover of Waterford FC in August 2022. The multiclub ownership model could provide their new signing with a pathway to playing football across the pond in the future.
From the Rovers’ perspective, the transfer may leave them searching for a replacement in the upcoming windows. The club holds an array of talent in that department, but may need to begin searching for talent for the future. The midfield consists of an average age of 23.5. However, Victor Ozhianvuna lowers that average, and he is Arsenal-bound in January 2027.
Other younger contributors to that are the likes of Zak Reddy and Cian Barrett. These are players yet to earn a string of appearances for the first team.
Hard goodbye
Despite the widespread reaction to Noonan’s departure being negative, it tells of how Waterford are getting a good player. Supporters online can concede the fact that he is headed southeast for more game time. The same royalty could not be offered at Rovers, who have plenty of depth in the same area.