Earlier today, Preston North End and Cork City confirmed the inevitable: Seán Maguire will be moving to the Lancashire club ahead of the new Championship season.
The news came following Maguire's stunning hat-trick in City's 3-0 win at Dundalk last night which moved them 18 points clear of the champions, who now find themselves closer to the relegation places than they are to the Leesiders.
Maguire has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season, including 16 in 17 league games, and his outstanding form since joining City having being deemed surplus to requirements at Dundalk has led to calls for an international call-up, particularly given Ireland's dearth of goalscorers at present.
A move to Preston will likely see Maguire get the call eventually, and also saves Ireland's management team and scouts a trip; all going to plan, he'll be lining out alongside at least six other Irish players, including former League of Ireland stars Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle.
The aforementioned Dundalk old boys have impressed since their arrival at Preston back in January, and their progress has whet the appetite for North End fans with regards to the signing of Maguire. The reaction to his signing was universally positive.
GET IN!
— PNE Fans Forum (@PNEFansForum) June 3, 2017
Think we should change our name from Preston North End to Ireland B team, hope he's as good as the other Irish lads
— Thomas Beckham (@beckstb) June 3, 2017
Thanks we will take good care of him Preston is proud to be an Irish stronghold
— Mark Holt (@HoltMarkholt2) June 3, 2017
Horgan, Boyle and Browne all gained first caps whilst at Preston so hopefully he can follow the trend ??looking forward to watching him.
— Matty (@mattyG2505) June 3, 2017
Win win situation. Quality player and fits our Irish signings quota
— adam (@CheArmbara) June 3, 2017
What a signing #pnefc
— Thomas Bamber (@tommybamber15) June 3, 2017
Great signing once again by Preston
— MichaelN2000 (@IlikeTirtles) June 3, 2017
what a signing that is. well done to Grayson and Ridders for pushing it through.
— Tom Derbyshire (@tomderbyshire96) June 3, 2017
From all the comments we have signed another good 1 if his work rate is like the other irish lads then another good signing
— KEITH T (@KEITHpne1) June 3, 2017
YESSSSSSSSS!
— Jay - InvinciblesTV (@InvinciblesTV) June 3, 2017
QUALITY signing! ! Just need to make getting a solid CB a priority, Defense rn is nothing without Clarke ??
— Jay - InvinciblesTV (@InvinciblesTV) June 3, 2017
Crucially for Cork City, the Kilkenny man won't be leaving until the end of July. By then, Cork might well have the league wrapped up entirely, but more pertinently from a financial perspective, it means Maguire can play in all of their Europa League qualifiers once fit. City's European run last season earned the club north of €650,000.
It's understood Maguire had a release clause of €150,000 in his contract, and Preston met this clause in order to sign the 23-year-old.
