CORK CITY HAVE completed the signing of Ally Gilchrist as manager Colin Healy puts plans in place for a promotion bid next year.

Gilchrist joins the Leesiders from Shelbourne, having helped the Tolka Park outfit win this season’s First Division title.

“I am absolutely delighted to get it over the line. Once I knew the club were interested in me, things moved pretty quickly and I am very pleased to be here,” the Scottish defender said of his move to City, who finished four points shy of a 2021 play-off place.

“It’s a huge club. You can see the crowds that have been coming in over the last few months of the season and I am looking forward to the challenge.

“The fans have been through a lot over the last few years and stuck with the club through thick and thin, as have a lot of the players. It is a good, young group and you can see that they are making progress.

“Colin [Healy] sold the club to me pretty quickly. There are a lot of good players here and hopefully we can push it on next season. It is a great place to play, a great atmosphere and hopefully we can get the place rocking next year. I have come here to win and hopefully we will do that.”

Cork City will be the fourth League of Ireland club that Gilchrist has represented. The 26-year-old, who began his professional career at St Johnstone, joined Shamrock Rovers in 2018 and later departed for Derry City.

“Ally is a very, very good player who will add strength to our defence,” Colin Healy said. “Looking at this year, we did have a lot of younger lads in the squad so he will bring experience and add to what we have.

“He has experience of a promotion challenge this season just gone and that is obviously the aim for us for next season, so he will bring that experience to the group.

“There will be a number of clubs targeting promotion next season, so it will be difficult, but bringing in players of the quality of Ally will certainly strengthen us.”