Waterford offered Kirby a new contract but he was reluctant to spend another season in the First Division. Amid interest from Cork City and Longford Town, Kirby found himself at the centre of a disagreement between the PFAI and the League surrounding an agreement that out-of-contract players aged 24 or over can transfer to another club for free under the Bosman ruling, but that a fee would be due for under-24s. The PFAI argued that Kirby could move on a free as soon as he turned 24, on 8 September, but the League's view was that the age should be taken at 1 January. The League's view clearly prevailed, because when Kirby and teammate Alan Reynolds signed two-year contracts with Premier Division club Longford Town, Reynolds moved on a free, but the fee for Kirby was to be determined by tribunal. He had attracted the attention of manager Stephen Kenny when the clubs met in the FAI Cup semifinal earlier in the year.