Armagh's Ross McQuillan has signed for the AFL club Essendon as an international rookie.
He'll join Tyrone's Conor McKenna at the Bombers and is set to move to Australia next month.
McQuillan, who has played basketball for Northern Ireland, has agreed a contract until the end of the 2021 season.
Meet our new, lightning-quick Irishman ⚡️🍀
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) September 19, 2019
The 20-year-old impressed recruiters at the AFL Europe Combine where he ran the 20-meters sprint in 2.77-seconds.
“After extensive sessions with Ross, we believe he has what it takes to become a successful AFL player given his lateral movement, skills on both sides of his body and kicking ability,” Essendon's General manager of list and recruiting Adrian Dodoro said of the move.
“Ross ran an outstanding time of 2.77 seconds for his 20-metre sprint, which would make him the quickest player on our list.
“Most importantly, Ross displays the Essendon values through his drive and determination to succeed.
“We look forward to officially welcoming Ross into the club when he arrives in November.”
There's set to be 15 Irish players in the league for the 2020 AFL season with Wexford youngster Barry O’Connor joining the Sydney Swans this summer.
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