Cork City youngster Connor Ellis signs first pro deal

Cork City FC have confirmed that one of their most promising underage talents, Connor Ellis, has signed his first professional contract with the club.

Ellis has been with the Leesiders' under-19 side for the last three years and in that time he has won many admirers , mainly because of his good pace and even better ability to find the back of the net.

He is one of the leading lights in a very impressive Cork City under-19 side, which some argue the best that the club has ever had.

He has been training with the Cork City first team over the last while and boss John Caulfield clearly feels the time is right to give the Bantry man the chance to make the step up to full time professional football.

“I’m delighted,” Ellis told the club's website following the announcement.

“I joined the club when I was sixteen and this was always my aim. I’ve had a great few years with the under-19s and hopefully this is just the start. I just want to keep working hard and, hopefully, get into John’s plans.

“It shows the kids in West Cork, who sometimes think that the city lads are miles ahead, that there is a great chance for anyone if they work hard enough.

“When you watch it (first team football) on TV, you probably don’t think it’s as fast; like anything, when you watch it, you don’t understand the speed of it, so it takes getting used to.

“Training every day and bettering yourself as a player; that’s where you want to be.”