Ex-Derry City captain Connolly joins Coleraine

Coleraine have announced the pre-contract signing of defender Mark Connolly, who is set to be available for the Bannsiders when the January transfer window opens.

The Clones native spent the past three and a half years at Derry City. making 115 appearances, 38 of them as club captain, and helped the side win the FAI Cup in his first season in 2022.

Connolly will link up again with manager Ruaidhri Higgins, who first brought him to the Brandywell from Scottish Premiership side Dundee United following a loan spell at Dundalk.

"I worked with Mark for a few years and he's a player I know really, really well.

"He will bring great value to the squad. He's obviously really well experienced but he's a really good footballer as well," Higgins said.

"Mark suits how we want to play and he'll certainly give us that know-how and experience that we will need heading into the second half of the season and further on as well."

The experienced centre back's arrival will provide a boost for Coleraine after fellow defender Kodi Lyons-Foster suffered an injury which is expected to be out for a considerable period of time.

Coleraine currently sit top of the Irish Premiership table and host seventh-placed Bangor in their next game on Friday 12 December.

Connolly will not be eligible for selection until the new year however.