ARMAGH GAA star Jamie Clarke has signed with Queens-based soccer club New York Shamrocks ahead of the start of their season.
The Crossmaglen man is an All-Ireland club medallist and is also a talented soccer player and recently won an AOH Cup title with Cartwheel United before heading to the States.
He will play in the Cosmopolitan League Division One, which begins this Sunday, and 27-year-old Clarke told the Irish Voice newspaper that he is looking forward to the experience.
“When I first came out to New York, I was keen to play soccer for a team. A friend of mine introduced me to (Shamrocks first team coach) Kevin Grogan.
“He was very professional in his approach. He laid everything out to a tee. He was very precise. As soon as I left that conversation, I was on board to join the Shamrocks straight away."
When asked if he felt any added pressure to perform at a high level in soccer, Clarke said: "Not really, I guess if there was added pressure to perform it would just be something I would chase down.
“If you want to play at an elite level, there's always going to be that pressure, but that's just part of the game.
“The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is a really good standard and I hope to improve and develop, and it's all about putting the head down, work hard and learn."