Carlisle United have signed Irish goalkeeper Michael Kelly ahead of the first game of the season.

The Blues have added the former Bray Wanderers man to their squad.

Manager Paul Simpson has moved for the 26-year-old on a permanent deal.

Kelly has signed a one-year contract at Brunton Park and will provide competition for No1 Tomas Holy.

The keeper is the eighth player to put pen to paper at Carlisle ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, which starts against Crawley Town at Brunton Park today.

Kelly has spent most of his career in Ireland so far with spells at clubs including Longford Town, Cabinteely, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Cherry Orchard.

Simpson said this week he had been keen to add another senior keeper to his ranks.

The United boss says Kelly has been training with the squad for several days.

“He’s come very highly recommended, and he’s a player we’ve been looking at over the last few weeks," Simpson told the club website.

“We managed to agree with Bray that he would be allowed to come here and train with us. He’s a good age, mid-20s for a keeper is great age, and he’s a decent size.

“He has a very good physical presence and it’s an area where I’ve been really uncomfortable that we’ve just had Tomas as our number one.”

“I wanted somebody in to give us a little bit more cover, and as much as Gabe [Breeze] is a very talented and promising goalkeeper, I just felt it was too early for him at the moment to be considered as a genuine number two."

The one-year deal comes with an option for a further year.

"He needs to show us all now that he can cope with English football," added Simpson.

“He’s absolutely determined to come over here and do that, he’s paid for his own flights to get here, and that’s an indication of how much he wants to make this work.

“It fits with what I want to do and hopefully he’ll prove to be a really good signing for us.”

“Without a doubt the other challenge for him is to push Tomas for the starting spot. Tomas has been brought in as our number one, his shirt number tells everybody that, but I think he needs competition.

“It’s Tomas’s shirt to lose, it’s as simple as that, but hopefully it’s Michael’s to aim to win as well.”