Athlone Town’s Daniel McKenna brings the ball away from Longford Town’s Adam Wixted during the 2024 First Division campaign. McKenna and Wixted will be Athlone teammates in the 2025 season. Photo: Paul Molloy.

Busy spell in transfer market for Athlone Town

Kieran Galvin

Published: Fri 3 Jan 2025, 12:44 PM

Athlone Town have made a number of recent signings as preparations for the 2025 League of Ireland season crank up a gear.

Kyle O'Connor, Adam Wixted, Noe Baba, Bastien Hery, John Ross Wilson, Matthew Connor and Dean Williams have all signed for Athlone over the festive period.

In addition, it has been confirmed that Aaron Connolly, Dan McKenna, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Brian Torre, Kyle Robinson, Agbo Babatunde, Matthew Leal and Dylan Hand will remain with the club for the 2025 season.

Adam Wixted has rejoined Athlone Town from midland rivals Longford Town. The winger has also played for Bray Wanderers, Bohemians, and Drogheda United.

Wixted actually scored the equalising goal for Longford in their draw against Athlone last October. Kyle O'Connor, who can play at left-back or in midfield, has also joined Athlone from Longford.

In welcoming Noe Baba to Athlone Town from Finn Harps, the club described him as "an accomplished midfielder and defender". Having moved from Cameroon to Ireland as a child, Baba captained the Republic of Ireland under-17 team. He has also played for Macclesfield Town and Waterford.

Bastien Hery is another player who has joined Athlone from Longford, having also played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale, Carlisle United, Bohemians, Derry City and Galway United. Born in France, Hery has made nine appearances for the Madagascar national team.

John Ross Wilson is a right-back who spent the 2024 season with Sligo Rovers in the Premier Division. He has also played with Bray Wanderers, Shelbourne and Bohemians.

Athlone fans will be hoping the arrival of goalkeeper Matthew Connor from Waterford will help to fill the void left by Enda Minogue's departure for Dundalk.

The return of Dean Williams to Athlone from Premier Division champions Shelbourne was Dario Castelo's first signing ahead of the 2025 season. Williams previously played for Athlone, on loan from Shamrock Rovers, for the first half of the 2019 season. Since then the attacker has had spells with Bray Wanderers (also on loan from Shamrock Rovers), Longford Town, Drogheda United and Bohemians.

Having reached the First Division play-off final in the 2024 season, where they lost out to Bray Wanderers on penalties, Athlone will be hoping to at least reach the play-offs again in 2025.

Athlone will begin their First Division campaign away to Dundalk (who now have former Athlone women's team manager Ciarán Kilduff in charge) on Friday, February 14.

Athlone Town 2025 squad so far:

Kyle O’Connor (played for Longford Town in 2024)

Adam Wixted (played for Longford Town in 2024)

Kyle Robinson (re-signed for 2025)

Agbo Babatunde (re-signed for 2025)

Matthew Leal (re-signed for 2025)

Dylan Hand (re-signed for 2025)

Noe Baba (played for Finn Harps in 2024)

Bastien Hery (played for Longford Town in 2024)

Dean Williams (played for Shelbourne in 2024)

Matthew Connor (played for Waterford in 2024)

German Fuentes Rodriguez (re-signed for 2025)