▁age ▁of ▁fifteen , ▁and ▁was ▁signed ▁up ▁almost ▁immediately . ▁After ▁two ▁years , ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁professional ▁contract . ▁After ▁being ▁named ▁the ▁club ' s ▁Young ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year , ▁O ' Call ag han ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁breaking ▁into ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 ▁season , ▁until ▁John ▁Rud ge ▁was ▁s ack ed . ▁Brian ▁H orton ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁manager ▁and ▁O ' Call ag han ▁was ▁put ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁youth ▁squad . ▁Th ir teen ▁months ▁later ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁senior ▁squad , ▁scoring ▁in ▁a ▁draw ▁with ▁Cre we ▁Alex andra . ▁He ▁stayed ▁in ▁the ▁side ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁and ▁signed ▁a ▁new ▁two - year ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁club ▁despite ▁an ▁offer ▁from ▁Tot ten ham ▁Hot sp ur . ▁Port ▁V ale ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁Division ▁that ▁year . ▁O ' Call ag han ▁was ▁top - sc orer ▁seven ▁games ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 – 0 1 ▁season ▁but ▁was ▁suddenly ▁dropped ▁after ▁a ▁ 3 – 0 ▁loss ▁to ▁Card iff ▁City . ▁It ▁would ▁be ▁his ▁last ▁game ▁for ▁the ▁" Val i ants ". ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁home ▁to ▁C ork ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁after ▁his ▁contract ▁ended ▁at ▁Port ▁V ale . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁he ▁signed ▁for ▁his ▁h omet own ▁club ▁C ork ▁City ▁making