Downpatrick’s Conor crosses Finnish line

12 October 2022

DOWNPATRICK born goalkeeper Conor Hazard claimed success with HJK Helsinki as they became Finnish champions on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Haka away from home.

The 24 year-old shot stopper capped a coming of age league season as HJK were crowned Veikkausliiga champions for a 32nd time, and a third consecutive season.

Hazard, who spent the season on loan from Scottish champions Celtic, played 19 times in the league keeping eight clean-sheets in the progress.

Overall he turned out 34 times and kept 13 clean-sheets in all competitions.

The custodian has also featured in the Europa League this season in a group that consists of Real Betis and last season’s Europa Conference League winners Roma, who boast Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham.

The Finnish champions’ last game in the group was a 1-1 draw with Ludogorets Razgrad from Bulgaria, last Thursday.

Hazard was also in Ian Baraclough’s Northern Ireland squad for the recent Nations League games with Kosovo and Greece due to his fine performances in Finland.

Hazard’s contract at Celtic Park expires this summer, and it’s not yet known if Ange Postecoglou’s troops will offer him a new deal to stay in Glasgow.

The newly crowned champion will go back and compete with Joe Hart and Benjamin Siegrist for a starting berth.

He will return to Celtic in December following the expiration of the successful loan spell at HJK Helsinki.

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