Double winners are looking sharp as Cork City release their new jersey 

DOUBLE league and FAI Cup champions, Cork City will be among the best kitted out teams in domestic football next season but they are resigned to losing winger Stephen Dooley, who is moving back up north to the Irish League next season.

John Caulfield’s quadruple winning squad signed a new three year kit deal with adidas this morning. City’s previous jersey deal was with Nike and covered the last three years.

Dooley who was rumoured to be going back to America looks set to join Coleraine though Linfield are keeping tabs on the Portstewart man as well.

Club captain Johnny Dunleavy is in talks with the club and Caulfield said last night: “We want him to stay and he wants stay and it’s just a question of his fitness and when he will be able to make a comeback.”

“He will miss the start of the season in mid-February and it could be April before he can play again for the club,” added Caulfield whose squad are off to Manchester in early February on a promotional trip to the adidas HQ as part of their new partnership.

The new jersey deal was officially launched at the Cork City FC club shop in Douglas this morning with several first-team players in attendance and covers the senior squad and all the underage teams.

All six trophies won by the club, the SSE Airtricity League, the FAI Cup, the Women’s FAI Cup, U17 National League title, Munster Senior Cup and the President’s Cup were on display.

One of the leading brands in world sport, adidas, will be associated with Cork City now until 2020 in what Caulfield described as an ‘incredible deal.’ Cork also announced that Aspira has renewed its principal partnership with the double-winners.

The Cork-based enterprise IT project specialists, have been club partners for the last two seasons.

Pat Lucey, CEO of Aspira, said: “It makes total sense that Aspira and Cork City should partner for another year. Since coming on board as premier sponsors, Cork City and Aspira have both delivered historical doubles.”

Pat Lyons, Chairman of Cork City and FORAS, welcomed the news adding: “Aspira have been strong supporters of the club. We are enjoying a very successful period in the club’s history and that would not be possible without the backing of our supporters and our sponsors.”