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Dundalk striker Sam Byrne will be a free agent when his loan deal expires later this month after parent club Everton opted against offering him a contract extension.

The 22-year-old joined the Toffees from Mancheester United three years ago but his efforts to break into the first-team shake-up were hampered by a freak leg break that kept him out for over a year.

Byrne joined Dundalk at the beginning of the season in search of extended gametime but has so far found his starts mostly limited to cup games.

A mixture of injuries and the outstanding form of 18-goal striker Patrick Hoban have meant the Kildare man's opportunities have been limited thusfar.

The striker has yet to register a league goal for the Lilywhites but he did score a decisive goal in the 3-1 Leinster Senior Cup quarter-final win over Bohemians last week.a

Ireland under-21 international Byrne had a spell on loan with Carlisle United, scoring once in 13 games, in his final year at Old Trafford before his release prompted a move to Merseyside.