TWTD understands that Cork City midfielder Colin Healy has completed his move to the Blues, signing a two-year deal at Portman Road earlier this evening. The 29-year-old joins on a deal thought to be worth around €100,000 (£70,000) after two years back in Ireland with Cork.

News of Town's interest in Healy first broke on Tuesday as the Blues moved quickly after learning that the former Celtic man was close to completing a joint switch to Hartlepool along with Cork team-mate Denis Behan.

Healy, who missed Sunday's friendly because he was already in the UK discussing his Hartlepool move, played youth football for Ballincollig and Wilton United before joining Celtic, making his senior debut in 1998/99.

After a spell on loan at Coventry, Healy moved on to Sunderland 2003 but left for Livingston on a free transfer in 2005, injury – including two broken legs - having restricted his appearances for the Black Cats to 16 starts and four games from the bench.

Having left Livingston after a year, 5ft 11in tall Healy spent a week with the Blues in June 2006 and played in a friendly at Boston United, Jim Magilton's first game in charge as manager, where he was photographed by TWTD Message Boarder Blu Ju, but was not offered a contract.

A short spell at Barnsley and a loan at Bradford followed before Healy, capped 13 times by the Republic of Ireland, scoring once, returned home to Cork in 2007.

Healy came close to being a late inclusion in the Republic of Ireland squad at the 2002 World Cup as a replacement for Roy Keane, but missed the deadline after discussions regarding the Town manager's return to Saipan continued at length.

The midfielder is likely to make his second Town debut in Saturday's Fabian Wilnis testimonial against Colchester United at Portman Road.

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