Dean Shiels has hailed new arrival Ronan Doherty as one of the Irish League's "top midfielders" after completing a deal to bring the 29-year-old in from Cliftonville for an undisclosed fee.

The Carndonagh native had agreed a pre-contract with the Bannsiders to complete a summer switch to the Showgrounds at the end of the current season, but Shiels stepped up his pursuit of Doherty after the departures of Ciaron Harkin and Mackenzie Carse.

The Coleraine boss feels Doherty, who won the Irish Cup, BetMcLean Cup and County Antrim Shield during his time in north Belfast, has all the qualities to give his side a major boost in the second half of the season.

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"I'm delighted to get Ronan on board," said Shiels. "I think he's a top midfielder in this league, he controls the rhythm of games and he gets teams playing.

"He conducts the possession for teams and he very much suits the profile of a midfield player we want at this club.

"Ronan's won an Irish Cup, well-proven in the league and he's got excellent delivery from set-pieces. He's an all-round top midfielder in the league and we are delighted to have him.

"He fits the profile of what we are trying to build here. Having lost Ciaron Harkin and Mackenzie Carse, we are more than pleased to bring in someone of Ronan's quality and we are looking forward to working with him."

Doherty's arrival follows hot on the heels of the capture of one of his former Cliftonville teammates, Paddy Burns, who signed a short-term deal with the club on Thursday.

Coleraine's business may not be done just yet with the club still keen to add to the squad before the window shuts at the end of January.

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Levi Ives, who is reported to have also signed a pre-contract at The Showgrounds, is someone who the club would like to bring in now if possible.

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