Town have signed Republic of Ireland U19 international midfielder Conor Hourihane from Sunderland. The 19-year-old turned down a deal at the Stadium of Light and penned a one-year contract at Portman Road this afternoon.

Born in Cork, Hourihane, who was linked with a loan move to the Blues last summer, will be well known to Keane and assistant Tony Loughlan from their time with the Black Cats.

A Republic of Ireland U19 team-mate of Town's Ronan Murray, Hourihane, who has also won caps at U17 level, plays all across the midfield, usually centrally for the Irish side, and can also operate behind the main striker.

While with Sunderland, Roy Keane gave the 5ft 9in tall youngster first team experience in pre-season friendlies, but he is yet to play a competitive senior game.

Town will have to pay Sunderland compensation for Hourihane, who says he felt his chances would be limited on Wearside: "I was offered a new contract at Sunderland but there are a lot of players up there and when I found out about Ipswich's interest, I felt it was the right move for me.

"I know the manager from Sunderland and a few of the lads from Ireland. I have played with Ronan Murray in the U19 team and I've known Shane O'Connor for a long while.

"When I see what Shane has achieved after being given a chance here, that's what I've got to aim for.

"I'm grateful for the chance Ipswich have given me and the manager has told me that I've got to get my head down and work hard and see what develops from there.”

Town's first signing of the summer will not be involved in either the first team game at PSV or the reserve match at Great Yarmouth tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Town have been linked with a move for ex-Republic of Ireland full-back Steve Finnan. The 34-year-old former Welling, Birmingham, Notts County, Fulham, Liverpool and Espanyol man is out of contract having left Portsmouth at the end of the season.

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

WickedBlue added 19:55 - Jul 16 Crock I bet your fun at Christmas parties....miserable git.
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SiBo added 20:32 - Jul 16 WickedBlue: just look at his avatar... tells the whole story really!
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TractorCam added 20:58 - Jul 16 Good luck conor, hope to see a lot of you at Portman Road this year
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BrandonsBlues added 21:15 - Jul 16 BedsITFC - why did RK not apply this philosophy you mention last year. Priskin et al
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bluepeter added 21:30 - Jul 16 nw10tractor, well said. Dobbie, that photo has gone again. This site is not the same without it!
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elmswellblue added 21:40 - Jul 16 This is getting beyond a joke, another Sunderland/Irish Youngster, is this all Keane can muster. Another long season ahead of us with mid table mediocrity, what are the odds of Keane being given the heavo come November ?????
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SonOfSpock added 21:42 - Jul 16 Good luck Conor! Perhaps this signing could be like a london bus - you wait for what seems like ages and then 2 or 3 turn up at once. I wont complain if we get a fullback of Finnans experience either.
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Len_Brennan added 22:12 - Jul 16 I agree with everything that Jesus has said above. It is interesting that the pro-Keane posters are resorting to getting their retaliation in first, by identiying the very real problems themselves and chastising others for posts/views that they have yet to type. Clearly trying to stop any debate on it. Good luck to the lad, hope he comes good for us. The disappointment for most of us is that we know we are in bad need of proven experienced players who have established themselves at Championship level or higher if we are challenge for promotion. Up & coming youngsters who may or may not make it, and are unlikely to make an immediate impact in any event, just don't fill me with any feelings of optimism for the season ahead.

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tom_the_blue added 22:20 - Jul 16 He'll be good once he learns to spell his own name properly. Really, who spells it 'conor' ? I just looked him up, he sounds a good player, hopefully as good, or better than Colback!
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SeriouslyDelusional added 22:31 - Jul 16 Looks like a good deal, could be another Colback or maybe one for the future. It's good to see all the youngsters in the squad, there's a good mix of youth and experience now. I'm liking the way the squad is shaping up, if only we could get that proven goalscorer and for me we are there
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Dalty added 22:53 - Jul 16 @Len Brennan - I think as England's woeful World Cup campaign and Germany's successful one shows, experience can be overrated. Don't get me wrong, we need some old heads in there, but we already have the likes of McAuley, Delaney, Norris, Edwards, Walters etc. I think we're at our best when we bring on young, hungry players. I agree with you in that I hope for maybe one more experienced head brought in before the season starts, but generally I'm happy with these sort of players coming in. Regardless of differing views, its good to hear someone articulate concerns in a well-argued manner like yourself rather than some of the mindless negativity that passes for "comment" on here.

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suffolksam added 23:58 - Jul 16 sunderland must be laughing all the way to the bank.looks like a repeat of last season ex sunderland and c grade irish players didnt get us up last year and won't this year
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TractorBeezer added 00:42 - Jul 17 For the Sunderland and Irish knockers, keep in mind the advice that Sir Bobby Robson gave to Keano when he was appointed ..... that was to focus on obtaining players that he knows or knows about. Keep the faith!
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Luke8644 added 01:00 - Jul 17 suffolk sam? how can sunderland be laughing all the way to the bank, this was a free agent signing, he turned down a new contract and was released, so we snapped him up on very low wages
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BlueFinn added 01:49 - Jul 17 The real question is how long does it take for RK find players from anywhere else? Anyone who's not disturbed by the total Sunderlancy must have blind faith. Can*t find himself a way home.
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suffolksam added 05:03 - Jul 17 well said there bluefinn mate if sunderland is our only source of players we are doomed.sunderland is hardly a footballing mecca full of talented skillfull youngsters playing barefoot on the beach is it ? in fact have sunderland ever won anything in football ?
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legoman added 07:39 - Jul 17 Yes Sam, they won promotion AND stayed up. Thats winning!
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stinkiusminkius added 08:19 - Jul 17 Hahahahaha you have to laugh. Whether this is an act of genius or a pointless signing, even the most pro-keaners must have found it it funny that's there's yet another Sunderland / Irish signing. If this why we were quiet in the transfer Market - because there are obviously not that many Sunderland players left available. But anyway, onto the positives.... He is cheap, and a few of the SAFC fans have said good things about him, and maybe he could have the colback effect. Whether it's too early for him to impact on our first team remains to be seen, altho time isn't on keanes side.

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stinkiusminkius added 08:24 - Jul 17 And as for steve finnan - I can't imagine that a player who has played in the top division most of his career would be good for helping lower our wage bill. No cheaper and no better than d wright.
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blues1 added 08:26 - Jul 17 for heavens sake, all those people knocking ne1 who posts nething but a totally positive comment, no1 is knocking thje signing of a promising youngster. jst not every1 is hailing this as a grt signing thats gonna make us a better side. he may noit even play a single 1st team game this season, so lets not expect 2 much 2 soon. it has 2 b said 2, that wot does this say abt our academy, that we have 2 bring in youngsters frm other clubs. we shld b developing our own players, 2 bring thru. mind u, i guess that, with 1 or 2 exceptions we have no gud young players at club. sumthing that needs 2 b remedied. lets hope m. pejic better at his job than rk seems 2 b.

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Dolly2.0 added 08:29 - Jul 17 "Sunderlancy" lol - nice one bluefinn Although there are obvious merits in going for players you know, Keane really needs to get out of his comfort zone if Ipswich are to get out of theirs. Although this Conor is probably a decent player, we're not going anywhere if we limit ourselves to players Keane knows (from Sunderland and/or Ireland)
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bedsitfc added 10:25 - Jul 17 blues1 - he may not play much this season but he is only 19 and maybe be one for the future so could be a very good signing i have noticed the whingers about sunderland/ireland have started, does it really matter where we get players from??? as long as they come in dont break the bank and improve our team then i dont care where we get them from
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sproughtonblue added 11:25 - Jul 17 Got to give the boy a chance but can keane look anywhere other than Ireland or Sunderland.
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blues1 added 12:30 - Jul 17 bedsitfc. if u read my comments properly u wld have seen i not criticise him being signed. jst the fact that it not a youngster we need rite now, & that we signing youngsters frm elsewhere shows that our academy is not doing its job. we shld b bringing our own youngsters thru, not having 2 sign them frm other clubs
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ChambersM added 12:40 - Jul 17 I don't mind getting Irish / sunderland players as long as they're good but we can't sponge off them forever, keane has got to get a proper scouting system going and get players from elsewhere
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