John Martin is on the move – the Kilkenny native penning a deal with Dundalk FC for the 2022 League of Ireland season.
Martin follows new signings Robbie Benson and Paul Doyle to Oriel Park, the third post-season arrival for new manager Stephen O’Donnell.
“Dundalk is a massive club with great history and they have been one of the best teams in the league over the past few years. As an opposition player, I hated coming up to Oriel Park so I’m delighted to be on the other side of it now.”
After playing his underage football with Belvedere, Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic, the Paulstown man made his League of Ireland debut for Waterford as an 18-year-old in their promotion-winning season of 2017.
He made 21 Premier Division appearances for Waterford over the next two seasons before moving to Bray Wanderers on a six-month loan spell in 2019. He returned to Waterford ahead of the 2020 campaign and scored four goals in 11 league games, including a headed winner against Dundalk at the RSC last October.
The 22-year-old followed that up with 10 goals in 31 league games last time out – two of them coming in Waterford’s 3-1 win at Oriel Park in June – but Waterford lost their top-flight status last month when they were beaten by UCD in the promotion/relegation playoff.
“I enjoyed my time at Waterford,” says Martin of the move.
“I had a bit of a rocky stage where I was wondering if I was going to forge out a career there but I went on loan to Bray, enjoyed that and I think last year I really cemented my place as a good player.”
“There is no point in doing that for one season, though. It’s all about consistency now and I have to show my pedigree. I had a couple of weeks off but I’m back in the gym to get myself ready and give it a good crack at Dundalk in January.”