BURY have completed a triple swoop of loan signings ahead of their clash with Shrewsbury tomorrow, but club top goalscorer Leon Clarke has been ruled out for up to three weeks.

Former Bolton Wanderers defender Cian Bolger, Blackburn striker Nathan Delfouneso and Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Neal have been drafted in to bolster David Flitcroft’s injury hit squad.

The Bury boss has been searching for a centre-back ever since skipper Nathan Cameron was ruled out for the season with a knee injury, and he now has his man in Bolger.

Flitcroft attended Blackburn’s reserve match against Southend’s second string on Monday and snapped up two players off the back of that game.

Bolger, a 24-year-old centre-half who has had spells at Colchester and Bristol Rovers, has joined until the end of the season, while former Premier League striker Delfouneso penned a one-month loan deal.

Speaking of the signings, Flitcroft said: “We enquired when Nathan (Cameron) first got injured but Cian (Bolger) got in the team and played the last 10 games for Southend.

“We were looking at other targets but kept making sure we were in front of that.

“Thankfully we talked about taking points off potential teams that we were playing against so we linked up and got the deal done.

“It has been a long search there is no doubt about that, but we are delighted to have him on board.”

“He (Nathan Delfouneso) played in the game on Monday. We had a chat to him there and then. When I spoke to him yesterday he expressed a real desire to come and play and get back on the football map.”

Star striker Clarke, who missed the match against Rochdale as his partner was giving birth, has been ruled out for around three weeks after picking up a thigh strain.

And Bury were hit with another cruel blow as goalkeeper Ian Lawlor was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21s for their games against Italy and Slovenia next weekend.

But Flitcroft has brought in cover to the specialist position with Neal, who is set to become the seventh shot stopper to don the Shakers jersey this season after joining until the end of the campaign. Lawlor will link up with his country next weekend.

“Leon Clarke is probably going to need a couple of weeks out now with a thigh strain that he has got,” Flitcroft said.

“We know Ian has got international duty, and clearance to go on international duty which is next week so he misses the Easter period.

“We knew 10 days ago and we have been really planning for Rob (Lainton) to play.

“We had to act, we had to bring a goalkeeper in.

“The plan was to play Rob. We was really preparing and building him up for that moment but it’s not going to happen “He’s (Chris Neal) got experience, he’s the right age, there’s a calming influence.”

All three players will go straight into the squad to face Shrewsbury tomorrow.