Mooney joins Reading from Cork City

Cork City's Dave Mooney has followed in the footsteps of Irish international Kevin Doyle and joined Reading for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.

The big striker scored 15 goals in 22 League of Ireland appearances for Cork, a sufficient strike rate to attract the interest of the Coca-Cola Championship side who started the new season with a win and a draw.

"I am very pleased to complete this deal, which gives us five senior strikers and provides the manager with a good array of attacking options at his disposal," said Nick Hammond, Director of Football at the Madejski Stadium.

"Goals are the key in any promotion campaign and we wish him every success in his time here."
  
Mooney follows Doyle's path after he too joined Reading for an undisclosed fee from Cork in the summer of 2005. The 23-year-old joins fellow Irishmen Stephen Hunt and Shane Long who are also at the London club.

Today's deal is a welcome boost for Cork who are in great financial difficulty and yesterday submitted a High Court petition to place the club into examinership.    

"The transfer fee will provide the initial sums that will assist Mr. Kieran McCarthy, the interim examiner appointed by the High Court yesterday, to prepare proposals for the creditors of the company," today's statement on the club's website read.

"In addition, Mr. McCarthy said that unusually at this early stage of an examinership, he is exploring a number of concrete leads following unsolicited expressions of interest from parties who are keen on investing in the company.

"However, notwithstanding these very positive preliminary indications, much work needs to be done to assess the steps that are required to ensure the survival of the club. Everyone at the club wishes Dave all the best for the future."