Irish League transfer round-up: Championship club announce arrival of six new players on same day while Portadown confirm midfielder exit

While there have been changes in the dugout with Baggley confirming former Cliftonville midfielder Ryan Catney as his assistant alongside Jonny Flynn, Liam McStravick and Gerard McVeigh joining the backroom team, players have also departed as Caolan Donnelly (return to Larne), Brian Healy (return to Newry City), Owen McConville (Dollingstown) and Michael Morgan (Bangor) exited.

That turnover means Baggley has had to move quickly to sign reinforcements ahead of his opening match against Newry on Saturday with Dylan Graham, Jack Montgomery, Jaydyn Withers, Keevan Hawthorne, Jay Riley and Dylan Snoddon all arriving at Ballyclare.

Former Everton youngster Graham has joined on a loan deal until the end of this season from Larne while Riley (Portadown) and Northern Ireland youth international Hawthorne (Cliftonville) also arrive on temporary transfers from Premiership clubs.

Speaking in his first interview as Ballyclare boss at the weekend, Baggley suggested it could be a busy January window, saying: "There has been a bit of movement so I'm looking to get going and bring in a few bodies ASAP...it's going to be a busy few weeks.

"We want to bring in not just the right player but the right character because that's important. I'm excited and keen to get going."

Elsewhere, Annagh United have signed midfielder Jack Henderson from Portadown as they look to further build towards a potential challenge for Premiership promotion.

Annagh, who knocked Portadown out of the Irish Cup on Saturday, currently sit only five points adrift of second-placed Limavady United in fifth and the arrival of Henderson could be key.

The 24-year-old, who was previously on the books of Glentoran, Ballymena United and Bangor, made 16 league appearances to help Niall Currie’s side clinch the second-tier crown last term but struggled for opportunities this season.

“A wonderful young man who came here last season and made a huge impact in our success but unfortunately he’s only played 281 minutes this season so far and he’s an ambitious young man,” Currie told the club’s website while providing reasoning for Henderson being made available for transfer. "The easy decision is to keep Jack but we both know he will become even more frustrated as he wants to play so I reluctantly agree with him and wish him the very very best.”

Newry City have also further strengthened as they look to pull clear of relegation from the Championship after confirming the loan signings of Tommy Taggart and Ben Harvey from Dungannon Swifts and Loughgall respectively.

The duo join Lorcan Donnelly and Jamie Doran, who scored on debut in Saturday’s Irish Cup fifth round defeat to Carrick Rangers, as new faces at the Showgrounds.

"There was a lot of homework done in the first half of the season and it was a case of gauging what we had and what we needed,” manager Darren Mullen told the club’s media channel. “Being second-bottom, it wasn’t good enough so we needed to mix it up.

"If you look at the profile of player coming in, they are 18-21, lads who are full of energy, willing to work, willing to prove a point.

"Previously we’d brought in lads like Dylan Sloan, Matty Lusty and Odhran Casey, who have done really well, so they are the type of players that suit how we want to play in the second half of this season.”