Sweeney joins McDermott's flying squad

Reading have beaten Everton to the signing of 17-year-old ex-Bray Wanderers defender Pierce Sweeney.

Sweeney was at the Royals' Hogwood Park training ground yesterday to undergo a medical and complete the transfer from the Airtricity Premier League club. The teenager has been the most impressive player in an otherwise leaky Seagulls defence this season but Bray will not stand in the way of Sweeney making a lucrative move to the Premier League. The Royals have a history of poaching some of the League of Ireland's hottest young talent with Kevin Doyle and Shane Long both having been plucked from across the Irish Sea. Stephen and Noel Hunt were signed from Brentford and Dundee United respectively but were on the Royals radar for a long time while Karl Sheppard is on the books at the Madejski Stadium along with former Ireland U21 Jay Tabb and World Cup 2002 hero Ian Harte.