Keogh joins Dons after limbo spell in Derby

Richard Keogh

Ireland defender Richard Keogh will try and relaunch his career in League One after a move to MK Dons.

Keogh was under contract for another year at Derby County, where he had been club captain, but he had been in dispute with the club over the fallout from a drink-driving incident last year.

Keogh (33) suffered a season-ending injury while he was a passenger in a car driven by a team-mate who was later convicted of drink driving, the club reprimanded Keogh for what they said was a breach of club rules and reducing the terms of his contract and it seemed unlikely he would play for the Rams again.

He was linked with a move to Ipswich Town but now MK Dons have swooped to sign the 33-year-old.

"I'm delighted it's happened, it's been a long time coming but it felt like the right thing for me to get back to playing football," he said. "I have some hard work to do but I feel I can contribute here. This is a great place to play football, they play an attacking brand of football and people buy in to that."

Keogh's international career was halted by that injury but Mick McCarthy, when he was in place as Ireland boss, did not rule out a return for the defender and Stephen Kenny will retain Keogh as an option.

Keeper Ian Lawlor is another Irish player on the move and Oldham Athletic boss Harry Kewell says that he is a perfect signing for the League Two club.

The Dubliner, who had a long spell at Manchester City, has a year left on his contract at Doncaster Rovers but they have agreed to loan Lawlor out to Oldham for the coming season.

Perfect

"He's the perfect signing for us. He's creating competition, his attitude is perfect and he is going to be a great addition," says Oldham manager Kewell.

"His work-ethic throughout his career has been top quality and the way I want to play he's accepted the challenge straight away.

"Personally, it's going to be a good partnership for Ian and Oldham and I'm really looking forward to it as a lot of hard work has gone into getting this deal done this week."

Lawlor (25) joined Manchester City from Home Farm but was unable to make the first team in a six-year spell there and joined Doncaster in 2017.

He is uncapped at senior level but was called into the squad twice, by Giovanni Trapattoni in 2014 and Martin O'Neill in 2016.