Ryan Delaney's loan spell at Cork City ends after tonight's Oriel Park humdinger against Dundalk, but Stephen Hunt believes the towering defender's future is bright, no matter where he ventures next.
John Caulfield brought the 20-year-old to Leeside in January from Championship side Burton Albion and he's played a big part in Cork's terrific start to the campaign - they're 15 points clear of Dundalk at the top of the table ahead of tonight's clash - but his stay is coming to an end.
Where he goes next remains undecided, with Cork keen to sign Delaney on a permanent basis, but Hunt, the player's agent, is confident his quality will shine.
"I’m pleased for Ryan as he is the one who goes out there and does it," the former Republic of Ireland winger said.
"He has pretty much been a mainstay in the Cork team since he has come and it was exactly what he needed - to play games - as he didn’t get any game time at Burton.
"He trained with Mick McCarthy for a week and I asked the gaffer what he thought. He said, ‘listen, if I didn’t have a full capacity of centre-backs I’d probably sign him’."
"There wasn’t any reserve games so nobody really noticed him playing. There were only two or three games in the three or four months for him to come in and do well, like he has done [with Cork].
"He’s scored five goals in 15 games I think, and that’s a credit to him. He’s only 20, he’s only young and there is a bit of development left in him yet. Hopefully he can keep going in the right way."
Hunt was coy on Delaney's plans, and revealed he's been keeping tabs on him since his Wexford Youths days: "I can advise the player and we’ve had a conversation about it. I can’t tell you right now but we’ll have to go from there with it.
"I was training with Wexford Youths and I sat on Ryan for five or five months. I signed him to my old agent at the time, who I said to look after him at the time. I knew when was best for him to go across.
"He trained with Mick McCarthy for a week and I asked the gaffer what he thought. He said, ‘listen, if I didn’t have a full capacity of centre-backs I’d probably sign him’.
"So then I had his confidence as well as my own eye; I’ve seen him play. Either way, he’s in a good position. If he goes back to Burton he fights for his place; if he goes to Cork he’s playing games at a good level."
While Ryan may end up coming back across the water to his homeland on a permanent basis, another Cork high-flyer is attracting admiring glances from English suitors.
Sean Maguire's blistering form has even had many calling for him to be called up to Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland panel, and Hunt has been impressed.
"Apparently he is going to Preston, but I don’t know," said the Waterford man.
"He is suited to playing up front by himself. I wasn’t too sure whether he could or not but he does give that impression that he can play up front by himself as well, which is nice.
"I didn’t think there would have been any harm [in calling him into the Ireland set-up].
"John Caulfield wouldn’t be too happy to hear me saying that as they have a big game this week, so maybe that is partly the reason why he is left behind at a peak time of the season. Cork are flying and Dundalk need to win."
Watch Dundalk v Cork City, live, tonight on RTÉ 2 from 7.30pm
