McMenamin joins Glens two months after Coleraine move

Northern Ireland international Conor McMenamin has made a shock switch from Coleraine to Glentoran just two months after he signed for the Bannsiders.

As part of the deal, Joe Thomson will make the move to the Showgrounds from Coleraine on a two-year deal.

Winger McMenamin signed for Coleraine on 23 June in a high-profile move as he returned to the Irish Premiership after three years in the SPL with St Mirren.

The 31-year-old, who has struggled with a number of injuries over the past two seasons, did not start a game during his brief spell with Coleraine.

Billed as a key member of Ruaidhri Higgins’ star-studded attack with the likes of Matthew Shevlin, Ben Doherty and Joel Cooper, McMenamin’s move back to Glentoran is a shock transfer.

Speaking about the player’s departure, Higgins said: “These things happen in football and I’ve no personal issue with Conor whatsoever.

“Initially part of the plan is that he’d move closer to the north coast which hasn’t happened.

“I think when you do that commute from Downpatrick to Coleraine and back every day, I think it can have a negative impact on your body.

“I didn’t think it was ideal, neither did Conor after a few good conversations, and we’ve decided to come to this arrangement which I think suits all parties.”

‘Everything has happened really quickly’

It is a third spell at the Oval for McMenamin, who had a season at the east Belfast side in 2015-16 and then a stand-out two years from 2021 until 2023, which led to his move to Scotland.

He won the first of his 14 Northern Ireland caps in 2022 while still at Glentoran, and scored against San Marino the following year.

However, he has not featured under manager Michael O’Neill since a late cameo in the 5-1 defeat by Spain in June 2024.

“Everything has happened really quickly, but once I knew there was an opportunity to return to Glentoran, I was delighted to take it,” said McMenamin.

He added: “I played some of the best football of my career here, earned my first Northern Ireland call-up and secured a move to Scotland. My three years with St Mirren were hugely important and I return as a better and more experienced player.

“This is not about looking back at what I achieved here before. I still have plenty that I want to accomplish.”

McMenamin is Glentoran’s sixth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Zeno Ibsen Rossi, Greg Sloggett, Rhys Walsh, Lekan Sule and Ethan Schilte-Brown, with Walsh having since joined Annagh United.

Coleraine top the Irish Premiership table with three wins and a draw from four matches, while Glentoran are sixth with two wins and two defeats in a mixed start to their campaign.