Darragh Burns leaves Grimsby Town to join Derry City

Grimsby Town have allowed winger Darragh Burns to leave the club for an undisclosed fee as he returns to his native Ireland with Derry City. The 23-year-old had been with the Mariners since January 2025, joining from MK Dons for a fee, following a successful loan spell back home in the League of Ireland with Shamrock Rovers. Burns went on to make 61 appearances for Town, 52 of those coming last season as he assumed the starting role on the right flank for most of the campaign. His biggest moment in a Grimsby shirt was without a doubt his assist for Charles Vernam’s opener against Manchester United, followed by two converted penalties in the 12-11 shootout victory, which saw Town produce one of the biggest cup upsets of all time. He only scored once in the end for Town in competitive fixtures, his team’s only strike in a 2-1 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers in late November, and it seems he did not quite do enough with the responsibility he was given last term for the club to fight to keep him. The former Republic of Ireland youth international was pleased with the faith shown in him by gaffer David Artell last term, despite eventually being dropped from the starting line-up for the final few games for Justin Amaluzor. “It’s been good,” said Burns in April on his season overall. “I’ve played a lot of games, and the gaffer has shown a lot of faith in me to allow that; he’s stuck with me. “I feel like my presence has helped the team at different points this season, so I can’t complain too much about how it has gone for me on a personal level.” “I have to commend the gaffer for the support he has shown me,” added the Irishman. “And I’m thankful for that, because every player waits for that chance to be able to prove themselves on a consistent basis. “There are others who have stepped up at different points of the season, and in a squad like this, you’re always wary of someone else taking your spot, so I’ve tried to help the team as much as possible when I’m out there.” He now returns to the League of Ireland, where the league season is in full flow, with his new club Derry sat sixth in the table with 11 games remaining in the campaign, 21 points adrift from Burns’ former loan club Shamrock at the top. It seems Derry remained in contact with Town after selling Cameron McJannet, who has just signed a contract extension, to them back in 2024, and they have brought in Burns, who will perhaps show more of his best in a more settled environment back home. Burns’ departure leaves Town with just one recognised right winger in Amaluzor, having also let injury-hit Jason Dadi Svanthorsson leave on a free this summer, so there is work to be done in that area of the pitch, with a slight boost in their funds following this latest sale.