Michael Hegarty is hailed as the best signing for.....Derry City?

Hegarty has been a mainstay of the Coleraine engine room for the last few years, but he is also making a name for himself in the League of Ireland!

As a couple of players left the Brandywell in January to move to The Showgrounds Hegarty made the move in the opposite. But fear not for Hegarty’s role with his home town club is off the pitch as he is now the Candystripes physiotherapist. Roddy Collins is of course the man in the hot-seat at Derry now and has brought in a number of high profile signings to the north west outfit as he bids to put together an Airtricity League challenge.

But Collins has hailed Hegarty as one of the most important additions he has made.

“We came through a major battle in Tallaght Stadium last weekend,” declared Collins.

“Yes, we shipped a few knocks and some left with bruises, but there was no soft tissue injuries and for me that’s testimony to the work of our magnificent medical team which includes Michael and Pearse Lafferty,” added the Dubliner.

“They’ve been absolutely brilliant and in my view, our medical team and, indeed, our youth development coaching team, are the most important people here.

“It’s not the manager or the current playing staff, it’s down to those who keep us fit and, of course, those who assist the development of young players who make it through the ranks and into the first team squad.

“Michael and Pearse are the best signings this club has made this season, make no mistake about that. The players hold them in the highest regard and they are really impressed having been working with them since we returned for pre-season training.”

Hegarty’s new role certainly sees him racking up the miles. He was part of the Coleraine squad who beat Crusaders last Friday night before travelling to Shamrock Rovers on Sunday with Derry and then back to Coleraine on Monday for the Dundalk clash.