Larne confirm contract extension for teenage star after impressive Championship loan spell

The 18-year-old impressed while spending the first-half of the current campaign on-loan at Championship outfit Bangor, making 21 appearances for Lee Feeney’s side, who sit third as they pursue back-to-back promotions following Premier Intermediate League success last season.

Brown is a graduate of the club’s scholarship programme and made his first team debut in Larne’s run to winning a third consecutive County Antrim Shield title in 2022/23 and also registered appearances in the Premiership and BetMcLean Cup.

“Sean has enjoyed a strong first half of the season with Bangor in the Championship and has got his just rewards with the contract extension,” manager Tiernan Lynch told the club’s website. “We see Sean as a young player with great potential having come through our Scholarship Programme and we want to give him the best possible chance to continue his growth and development.

“Sean has shown a great attitude to go alongside his great ability and we look forward to continuing to work with him and helping to do what is best for his development going forward.”

Brown has returned from his time with Bangor, as has fellow Larne defender Ali Omar, who is recovering from an ACL injury suffered last month.

The Inver Reds have also made their first signing of the January window with Scottish goalkeeper Aidan McAdams joining on a deal until the end of the season following his departure from Edinburgh City.

McAdams started his career in the development squads at both Celtic and Rangers before enjoying spells at Ayr United, Greenock Morton and Edinburgh.

He replaces Aidan Dowling after the former Blackburn Rovers shot stopper left Larne for League of Ireland outfit Cork City on Wednesday.

“I’m really glad to be here,” McAdams told the club’s website. “I’ve always been keen to try a new challenge and the move to Larne allows me to do that, so I’m really excited to get that underway.

“This is a club moving in the right direction and that’s another reason why I’ve chosen to come here to Larne. It’s a challenge, but I’ve come here to try to get into the team.

“There are some familiar faces at the club from back in Scotland, who I’ve played with or against so hopefully that can help me settle in over the next few weeks.”

Another young Premiership star that has signed a new contract is Coleraine striker Ciaran O’Hara, who put pen to paper on his first professional deal at the Showgrounds.

He has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract after scoring on top-flight debut against Loughgall and added to his tally in defeat to Dungannon Swifts.

“I think like a lot of the young ones coming through at the minute – and we have a cracking cohort – Ciaran is a little bit older and he’s always been scoring different types of goals for the U20’s,” manager Oran Kearney told the club’s website. “He has got all the different attributes that you’d want to see in a young striker.

“He’s by no means the finished article, he knows that himself and the hard work starts now. It’s testament to him and the hard work down below us in the club that we keep having a strong cohort of young players getting a chance.”