Cork City have promised more signings after confirming Conor Drinan's arrival from Cobh Ramblers and with Ireland under-21 goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks close to completing a loan deal from Notts County.
The Leesiders remain in the hunt for striker Jaze Kabia, who has returned temporarily to Scotland, while the club hopes to quickly wrap up a new deal with Matt Healy, who is now a free agent after Ipswich released him.
However a couple of other clubs are also talking to the midfielder. Unless a deal is struck before Friday, Healy will miss the trip to Richmond Park to face in-form St Patrick's Athletic.
READ MORE: Cork City must scratch out results to avoid potential relegation catastrophe - Liam Buckley
"Matt is out of contract, so we have to wait and see what happens there. Hopefully that will be resolved in the next day or two," commented City's interim assistant boss Richie Holland.
"As we've said over the last couple of weeks, we need to add numbers.
"We're quite light as a squad so it's great to have Conor on board, and Tiernan, we're just waiting on the paperwork to be completed. It's more or less done and he's another great addition to us. He'll bring something to the group, definitely.
"We're hoping to bring in a few more. I know Liam (Buckley) is working hard in the background to try to bolster the squad. There are a few other players he is talking to."
Drinan, 22, has joined Cork from Cobh Ramblers. and trained with the squad this morning. “I am really excited to be here," said the versatile left-sided player.
"I’m a Cork lad and I grew up watching City, so I am really pleased to get this opportunity.
"I would like to thank everyone at Cobh Ramblers, this was my fourth season with them and I would not be here without them, so I appreciate what they did for me.
"I’m an honest player and will give everything to the club as long as I am here, so hopefully the fans will see that.”
Buckley, Cork City's sporting director, added: “We are very pleased to have Conor on board. He can play in a number of different positions and, although he is young, he has played a lot of games for his age.
"We are looking forward to seeing him in action and believe he will be a great addition to the squad.”
There remains speculation that teenager Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh could move cross-channel, with West Ham among a number of clubs expressing an interest.
Holland says City's management hope that nobody moves on. "We're pretty thin at the moment," he stressed. "But Joe and other players who do well will always attract interest, but look, hopefully he's in a Cork City shirt at the end of the month.
"It's great for Joe that he scored again the other night and showed us in glimpses what he can do but like the other players, we need more.
"He's at a good club and at a good stage in his development where he can get better playing in front of a good crowd at Turner's Cross most weeks and keep developing that way."
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