Armagh's star forward Jamie Clarke will join London club Neasden Gaels after the Orchard County's championship run ends this summer.
Clarke, a 2017 All Star nominee, enjoyed a stint playing with New York and has also spent time in Melbourne. This latest move ties in with Clarke's work in the fashion industry. He spoke to Off the Ball back in February about developing his own clothing line.
Clarke's move to Neasden Gaels went through yesterday, and he is set to link up with the reigning London intermediate champions when Kieran McGeeney's Armagh side exit the championship.
Neasden Gaels Chairman, Manager and Goalkeeper Frank Kane knows Clarke as the pair met in 2018 in New York. Down forward Connaire Harrison and London county player Conor Doran are also playing with the side, who are based in northwest London.
Neasden Gaels sealed their return to senior ranks last year as former Mourne star Harrison helped them to a 2-13 to 0-13 victory in the intermediate final. They were London senior championship winners in 1999, just ten years after the club was founded.
The 29-year-old Clarke has not been playing with his home club Crossmaglen Rangers this year, but he has been pivotal in helping Armagh win their first Ulster championship game under McGeeney this year.
Two points from the boot of Clarke helped them to a pulsating 2-17 to 3-13 extra-time win over Down at Newry's Páirc Esler on May 19th. It was McGeeney's first championship win with the side in five seasons in charge.
They went on to lose out to Mickey Graham's Cavan in the Ulster semi-final, with Clarke hitting one point from a free in the drawn game in Clones, and seven points (four from play) in their six-point replay defeat the following week. They take on Monaghan in Clones in the second round of the qualifiers this Saturday evening at 7pm.
Clarke spoke on Off the Ball earlier this year about how the county side have been improving under 2002 All-Ireland winning captain McGeeney.
"What people don't realise is that Kieran's thinking of longevity. He's trying to set things in place. Not just going in to win one year and then the whole thing falls apart. He's trying to get a consistent level throughout, even at board level."
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