Galway United Sign GAA Goalkeeper Connor Gleeson as Evan Watts is Recalled
Galway United have dipped into familiar territory to solve an unexpected crisis between the posts, handing county Gaelic football goalkeeper Connor Gleeson a short-term deal as the League of Ireland transfer window creaks open.
The move comes after a major blow for the Tribesmen. Swansea City have abruptly recalled Evan Watts from what was supposed to be a season-long loan, stripping John Caulfield of one of his standout performers in the middle of a crucial campaign.
Watts has been a cornerstone for United this season, his form a key pillar of their push, and his departure leaves Caulfield scrambling for solutions. The first response is a bold one: bring back Gleeson, who last lined out for the club in 2018, and ask him to switch codes once more.
His inter-county GAA season ended only last week. Caulfield moved quickly, getting the deal done and adding the versatile netminder to his squad at Eamonn Deacy Park on a temporary basis, banking on his sharpness and familiarity with the club to ease the transition.
For now, though, the gloves are likely to fall to Hugo Pires De Cunha. The Portuguese goalkeeper has yet to play a competitive minute since signing at the start of the season, but is expected to start Friday’s away fixture against St Patrick’s Athletic. It is a significant moment for a player who has watched from the shadows while Watts impressed.
The disruption does not end in goal. At the back, defender Arthur Parker has completed his loan spell from Swansea and returned to his parent club, another setback for Galway, who had hoped to extend his stay. A reliable presence gone, just as the games start to stack up.
United have at least moved to plug that gap. Leigh Kavanagh has arrived on loan from Bohemians for the rest of the campaign, a deal that carries clear echoes of Cian Byrne’s productive spell in Galway last year before he pushed on at Dalymount Park.
Kavanagh, 22, comes with a solid body of work behind him. Since joining Bohs from Brighton in July 2024, he has made 40 first-team appearances and chipped in with two goals, building a reputation as a defender comfortable at this level and hungry for more minutes.
“Leigh is a very talented young player with great potential and a bright future ahead of him. He’s still only 22 years of age but already has plenty of experience.
“We want him to build on that now. He hasn’t had as many opportunities this season as he would like as it is a competitive position for us.
“But we only have to look at the experience of Cian Byrne going out on loan to Galway last season to see how a run of first-team games can really benefit young players in their development.
“That’s exactly what Leigh needs right now and spending time in a new environment and a different set-up, and getting a run of games under his belt, should really stand to him and his development. We wish him and Galway all the very best for the rest of the season.”
For Galway United, the timing of all this upheaval is no coincidence. The League of Ireland transfer window officially opened this morning. Caulfield has already made his first moves. The real question is how many more he will need to keep this season on track.
