Glentoran Football Club has completed the signing of forward Ben Gallagher, with the 23-year-old joining the Glens as a free agent following a spell in Australia with Mandurah City.

The Strabane native has put pen to paper after agreeing personal terms and successfully completing a medical, having attracted significant interest from a number of clubs across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Gallagher arrives at the BetMcLean Oval with a strong reputation after previously impressing during his time with Dungannon Swifts, where he established himself as one of the most promising up-and-coming attacking players in the Sports Direct Premiership.

Capable of operating both centrally and in wide attacking roles, Gallagher made 119 senior appearances in all competitions for Dungannon Swifts, scoring 20 goals during his time at Stangmore Park.

During the 2023/24 Sports Direct Premiership season, Gallagher featured 29 times for the Swifts across all competitons, scoring nine goals, before departing to Australia.

Speaking after completing his move to the BetMcLean Oval, Ben Gallagher said: “I’m absolutely delighted to sign for Glentoran and to be back playing in the Sports Direct Premiership. It’s a huge club, one of the biggest on the island of Ireland and the opportunity to play here was one I really wanted when I returned from Australia.

“From the moment I spoke with the manager, it felt like the right fit. The standards around the club are extremely high and everything is geared towards getting the very best out of the players.

“I’ve been made to feel very welcome since coming in. The lads have been brilliant and the recent results, along with the performance against Carrick, showed the level of quality in this squad and how dangerous it can be.

 “Now it’s about getting my head down, focusing on my football and learning from the players around me. Working alongside someone like Pat Hoban will be massive for my development and there’s quality right across the squad.

 “This is a group packed with ambition and I want to play my part, score goals and help the club compete for silverware. At a club like Glentoran, that should always be the aim and I’m really looking forward to playing at the BetMcLean Oval in front of our fans.”

Declan Devine, Glentoran First Team Manager, said: “Ben impressed everyone when he came in and trained with the squad last week, not just the coaching staff but the players as well. He demonstrated real quality both on and off the ball and his ability was immediately obvious. You can see exactly why there was strong interest in him from a number of clubs.

“We are absolutely delighted to bring him into the club. He has bags of potential, he knows how to score goals at this level and working full-time in this environment will only benefit him at this stage of his career. This is a significant signing for us and a real coup for the club.

“Just as importantly, Ben is a great character. He has gelled with the players straight away and fitted into the group really well. He has the right attitude to learn, improve and push himself every day and working alongside someone like Pat Hoban will be invaluable for his development.

“It won’t be long before we see him in a Glentoran jersey and I can’t wait for that. I would much rather have Ben in my team than lining up against us and I’m confident our supporters will enjoy watching him play.”

Gallagher becomes Glentoran’s first signing of the January transfer window, as the club continues to shape its squad for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign. His arrival follows the recent departure of Jonny Russell, who completed a move to EFL League Two side Crawley Town.

Paul Millar, Glentoran Sporting Director, said: “Ben was a player in demand and had attracted interest from a number of clubs, which comes as no surprise to us. He is a player we have admired for a long time and one we had identified on a number of occasions during his time at Dungannon Swifts.

“What was most pleasing for us was that after spending time training with the squad, he immediately wanted to commit to Glentoran and that demonstrates the appeal of this football club, the environment we have built and the direction we are heading in.

“Ben is a talented young player who is still only 23, so this signing is about building for the long term while also strengthening the squad in the short term. He has the ability to make an immediate impact, gives us added versatility and attacking depth and we believe he can play a significant role during the second half of the season.

“Once again, I would like to thank our owner, Ali Pour, for his continued trust and support. His backing allows Declan and I to bring in players of this profile as we continue to build a competitive squad capable of progressing the club.”