Cork City are continuing to strengthen their squad ahead of the new Airtricity League season with the additions of Josh O’Shea and Alan Smith.
O’Shea joined the club in June of 2014 and made 15 league appearances last season, while goalkeeper Smith, a native of Cobh, returns to Cork having had a spell in Scotland with Rangers.
Smith claims that the club is moving in the right direction and told the club's official website: "I'm delighted. It’s a big club and it is definitely going places again. It’s a personal challenge for me as well; there are two good goalkeepers here already, which keeps you on your toes."
City boss John Caulfield hailed the addition of Smith to his squad and said: "It’s great to sign Alan. He has been training with us for a while and he is coming in to see if he can kick start his career.
"He looks like he has serious potential; physically he is a big guy, he is very athletic and he has the raw ingredients, so it is up to him to sharpen up and provide competition for Mark and Kevin.”
"With Alan coming in, it changes the dynamics because Alan will be pushing to go from number three to number two and then challenge Mark McNulty, so it is good healthy competition. That’s what you want, because you need competition for places throughout the squad."
O’Shea was also pleased to have signed back with the club, and said that he felt there was great desire in the squad to succeed: "It’s great to be back. I gained great experience last year after signing in June; it took me a while to settle in, but with a pre-season under my belt I am looking to kick on this season, and hopefully we can go one better.”
"There’s unbelievable hunger in the team and there is a savage squad there with a good bit of depth, which is important because we are going to have a lot of games this season.
"You can see it in training, everyone is really committed and there is a good tempo there; there’s a lot of hard work being done, so hopefully we can convert that into points."
