Glentoran Football Club can confirm that Rhys Walsh has joined NIFL Championship side Annagh United on loan for the remainder of the 2026/27 season.

The 20-year-old winger returned to The BetMcLean Oval on a long-term contract this summer following two-and-a-half years with Sunderland AFC.

A graduate of the Glentoran Academy, Walsh made his senior debut for the Club as a 17-year-old during the 2022/23 campaign.

He went on to make eight first-team appearances across domestic and European competition before joining Sunderland in February 2024.

The Belfast-born attacker progressed to Under-21 level at the Stadium of Light and gained further senior experience during a loan spell with National League North side South Shields.

Walsh, who has represented Northern Ireland from Under-17 through to Under-21 level, now joins an Annagh side that has established itself among the leading teams in the Championship.

The Portadown club finished second last season before taking Crusaders to a penalty shootout in the Premiership play-off.

Annagh have collected seven points from their opening four league games this term, including victories in both fixtures at the BMG Arena.

Declan Devine, Glentoran First Team Manager, said: “Rhys is a talented young player we think very highly of, and regular senior football is the most important thing for him at this stage of his career.

“Annagh will provide a competitive and demanding environment where he will be challenged every week. He will have to earn his place, perform consistently and show that he can make a real impact at senior level.

“We brought Rhys back to Glentoran because we believe in his ability and see a long-term future for him at the Club. This is the right next step for him and we look forward to watching his progress throughout the season.”

Paul Millar, Glentoran Sporting Director, said: “Rhys is an excellent young player, but at this point in his career he needs to be playing regularly.

“He needs the continuity of playing week after week, experiencing the demands of competitive games and learning how to respond to the different challenges he will face over the course of a season.

“Annagh are a strong Championship side who have challenged for promotion in each of the past two seasons, so they have genuine ambitions of their own. Rhys will be entering a demanding environment where places and points have to be earned, and that experience will be hugely valuable to him.

“There is a clear pathway back into our first team. The objective is for Rhys to return to Glentoran as a more experienced and complete player, ready to compete for a regular place in the side.”