Athlone Town complete three more signings

ATHLONE Town manager Brendan Place is confident his squad is coming together nicely after adding further new signings this week. Place had already acquired the services of experienced duo Chris Bennion, a goalkeeper from Dundalk, and defender/midfielder Stephen Caffrey, and has now completed the signings of three more new players. Mark Nolan, a 19 year-old right-back or midfielder, joins from Bohemians, where he spent last season playing for their A Championship team following his release from Glasgow Celtic. Nolan will be joined by Richie O'Hanlon, a right winger from Crumlin Utd, and defender Eoghan O'Shea, who has league experience with Kilkenny City and St Pat's, and joins from Tullamore Town. Place has also re-signed several members of last season's squad including Des Hope, Robbie Benson, Kevin Dunne, Tom O'Halloran and forward Austin Skelly. Last season's top scorer Noel McGee also looks set to pen a new deal in the near future, while Davie O'Connor and Andrei Georgescu, who joined the club during the second half of last season, are currently considering their options after speaking to Brendan Place. It also appears very unlikely that Mark Salmon will return to the club after playing the majority of last season in Athlone's midfield. Younger squad members Garvan Broughall, Sean Brennan, Kevin Horan, Scott Gaynor, Stephen Relihan and Ronan Stack have re-signed for the club, with Neil Harney possibly to follow suit in the coming weeks. St Peter's Niall Scullion, who had a spell with the club in the past before a spate of injuries hampered his league career, is also expected to join the club for pre-season training, which begins on January 19. Joe Mooney, a goalkeeper from Tullamore Town, is also earmarked to attend pre-season training. However, it's emerged Anthony Hayes will not be re-signing after accepting a coaching opportunity with UK Elite in New Jersey, America. Hayes said this week: "I've been offered a great chance to go to America and do some coaching and hopefully I'll get fixed up with a club playing at a decent standard, too. I've agreed to a nine-month contract with UK Elite and head over there in March. I enjoyed my time with Athlone and certainly wish Brendan Place and the players all the best for the coming season." Place, meanwhile, thanked Hayes for his contribution to Athlone over recent years and described him as a player with an exceptional attitude towards the game. Robbie Hamm is another player from last season's squad who will not be involved this year after moving to Australia. Place said: "I'm much happier with my squad than I was at this stage last year. We've added a few good players but the young, local players will remain the lifeblood of the team. I think we are starting to prove that local players from the Midlands will be given opportunities to play league football with Athlone if they have the ability and commitment."