Exclusive: Oisin Cooney wants to 'show my best' after two more Premier League trials

Finn Harps goalkeeper Oisin Cooney has spent time on trial at two Premier League clubs recently. 

Cooney spent a fortnight at Newcastle United and seven days at Ipswich Town.

The 17-year-old Clonmany native is a Republic of Ireland U19 international. As he turns 18 next month, Cooney cannot move to a club in the UK until July 1.

Cooney played nine times for Harps in the First Division last season having made his senior debut at the end of 2023 when he signed a two-year contract at Finn Park.

Next month, he is expected to be with the Republic of Ireland Under-19s - managed by ex-Harps midfielder Tom Mohan - for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Elite Round and games against Finland, Slovenia and Germany.

“I just want to show my best with Harps and with Ireland now to see what happens,” Cooney, a Leaving Certificate student at Carndonagh Community School, told Donegal Live.

At the end of October, Cooney and Harps team-mate Gavin McAteer spent 10 days at Nottingham Forest. The pair played in a trial game, a 5-1 win over Hull, with McAteer scoring one of the goals.

Hot on the heels of that, Cooney was called over by Newcastle United in December. Having initially been pencilled in for two weeks with the Magpies’ Under-18s, Cooney spent the fortnight at Darsley Park working with the Newcastle Under-21s.

“It was really good, their facilities are class and they’re great people with unbelievable passion,” he said. “When people knew I was a goalkeeper and from Ireland and from Donegal, everyone was talking about Shay Given. They’’re mad about Shay over in Newcastle, he’s a legend there.”

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In January, Cooney, who played his schoolboy football with Clonmany Shamrocks, also spent seven days on a trial at Ipswich, managed by Kieran McKenna, who grew up in County Fermanagh. 

“They are another great club and they’re one that’s coming up,” Cooney said. “The first team were there when I was in and Liam Delap just sitting across the room.”