The wait is finally over for Cork City's Gareth Farrelly and Colin Healy as the pair are now free to play for the eircom Premier Division side after Fifa had prevented them from lining out until the beginning of the July transfer window.
Both former Republic of Ireland internationals were prevented from playing until July 1st because they had already played for two other clubs this season. Farrelly joined Cork from Blackpool, where he had signed a short-term deal after leaving Bohemians in August. Healy played for Barnsley and Bradford before returning to his home town.
The breach was in accordance with article 5.3 of Fifa's Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players, which stipulates a footballer cannot play competitively for more than two clubs between July 1st and June 30th.
It now means manager Damien Richardson is free to select the pair for tomorrow night's League Cup quarter-final encounter against Bohemians at Dalymount Park. Both players made their first official appearances for the club's Under 21 side yesterday in a 2-0 league victory against Lifford and both are expected to feature at some stage against Bohs, as is new signing Leon MacSweeney.
"We're just looking forward to playing now," said Farrelly. "Thankfully all the other stuff is out of the way and we can just crack on with games. We need games, that's the biggest thing, and the quicker the better, obviously. We haven't played football for nearly seven months, and you can train and simulate games all you want, but we need to be involved in competitive games now."
"I'm really looking forward to getting my Cork City career underway," added Healy. "It's been a long couple of months, training every week without a game at the end of it. But that's over and done with now, so I just want to get out there on the pitch and play games. As a Corkman, it's very special for me to get the opportunity to go out there and show the Rebel Army what I'm capable of."
Richardson should be glad to have Farrelly and Healy at his disposal for Colm Carroll (knee) remains a long-term absentee, while Brian O'Callaghan (groin), Darren Murphy (concussion) and Darragh Ryan (abdominal muscle) are definitely ruled out, while Billy Woods and Roy O'Donovan are suspended.
