Pierce Sweeney
{{Short description|Irish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Pierce Sweeney
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Pierce Liam Sweeney{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Exeter City |publisher=English Football League |page=26 |access-date=19 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|09|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
| height = {{convert|1.83|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |title=Pierce Sweeney - Defender - First Team - Exeter City |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/defender/pierce-sweeney/ |publisher=Exeter City F.C. |access-date=15 March 2020}}
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Exeter City
| clubnumber = 26
| youthyears1 = 2006–2012
| youthclubs1 = Belvedere
| youthyears2 = 2012
| youthclubs2 = Bray Wanderers
| years1 = 2012
| clubs1 = Bray Wanderers
| caps1 = 12
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2012–2016
| clubs2 = Reading
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2016–
| clubs3 = Exeter City
| caps3 = 332
| goals3 = 19
| nationalyears1 = 2010–2011
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U17
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2011–2013
| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U19
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2013
| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland U21
| nationalcaps3 = 1
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 18:00, 11 January 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 18:00, 1 August 2016 (UTC)
}}
Pierce Liam Sweeney (born 11 September 1994) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|ExeterCi}} side Exeter City.
Career
= Schoolboy football =
Sweeney began his career at Ardmore Rovers in his hometown of Bray, before moving on to the under-13 level with Belvedere.{{cite news|url=http://www.belvederefc.com/features/pierce-sweeney-interview-ireland-u19-player-of-the-year.1482.html |title=Pierce Sweeney Interview (Ireland U19 Player Of The Year) |publisher=Belvedere Football Club |access-date=1 August 2016}}
= Bray Wanderers =
In 2012, Sweeney joined League of Ireland Premier Division side Bray Wanderers. He made 12 appearances for the Seagulls during the 2012 season.
= Reading =
On 6 July 2012, Sweeney signed with then-Premier League side Reading. Although he was a member of Reading's Under 21 2013-14 Premier League Cup-winning side, on 9 May 2016, Sweeney was released by Reading without having made a first-team appearance for the club.{{cite news|url=http://leagueofireland.ie/index.php/2016/05/09/ex-bray-wanderers-player-pierce-sweeney-released-by-reading/ |title=Ex-Bray Wanderers Player Pierce Sweeney Released By Reading |publisher= League of Ireland |date=9 May 2016 |access-date=1 August 2016}}
= Exeter City =
On 22 July 2016, Sweeney signed with Exeter City as the 1931 Fund fan-funded player after a successful trial.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36916048 |title=Exeter City: Defender Pierce Sweeney signs permanent deal |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 July 2016 |access-date=1 August 2016 }} He scored two goals and an assist in Exeter's 5–1 defeat of Notts County on 8 September 2018,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45378106 |title=Exeter City: Harry Kewell sent off in first league game in charge of Notts County |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 September 2018 |access-date=25 September 2018 }} and had already scored two additional goals before the end of September 2018.
= Swindon Town =
On 11 June 2021, Sweeney signed a two-year deal with Swindon Town to begin on 1 July 2021,{{cite web| url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/19367336.swindon-town-sign-defender-pierce-sweeney-two-year-deal/| title=Swindon Town sign defender Pierce Sweeney on two-year deal| first=Jonathan| last=Leighfield| website=Swindon Advertiser| date=11 June 2021| access-date=2 July 2021 }} after rejecting an offer from Exeter City.{{cite web| url=https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/transfer-news/pierce-sweeney-signs-swindon-town-5520125 |title=Pierce Sweeney signs for Swindon Town after turning down Exeter City contract extension| first=Daniel| last=Clark |website=Devon Live |date=11 June 2021 |access-date=2 July 2021}} His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 2 July 2021, with Sweeney stating that 'due to family circumstances at this current moment I am unable to fulfil relocating to be part of the team'.{{cite web| url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57696349| title=Pierce Sweeney: Defender leaves Swindon Town less than a month after joining the club |website=BBC Sport| date=2 July 2021 |access-date=2 July 2021}}
=Exeter City return=
Following his abrupt departure from Swindon Town, Sweeney returned to Exeter City on 8 July 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2021/july/sweeney-signs/|title=✍️ Welcome back, Pierce Sweeney|website=www.exetercityfc.co.uk|date=8 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57736485|title=Defender Sweeney rejoins Exeter City|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} He was vice-captain as Exeter City secured a return to League One for the first time since 2012. In June 2022, Sweeney signed a new two-year deal with the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2022/june/sweeney-new-contract/|title=✍️ Pierce Sweeney pens new deal|website=www.exetercityfc.co.uk|date=28 June 2022|accessdate=28 June 2022}}
On 14 January 2023, in his first match as club captain following the departure of Matt Jay, Sweeney made his 300th appearance for Exeter City in all competitions.{{cite web |title=Pierce Sweeney will be Exeter City's new captain |url= https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/football-news/pierce-sweeney-exeter-citys-new-8034046.amp}} At the end of the 2022–23 season, Sweeney was chosen as Exeter's Player of the Year.
International career
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 11 January 2025}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !rowspan=2|Division !colspan=2|League !colspan=2|National Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Bray Wanderers
|2012 |12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Setanta Sports Cup}} | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| rowspan=5|Reading
|2012–13{{soccerbase season|64230|2012|accessdate=28 December 2019}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013–14{{soccerbase season|64230|2013|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014–15{{soccerbase season|64230|2014|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015–16{{soccerbase season|64230|2015|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0 | |||||||||
| rowspan=10|Exeter City
|2016–17{{soccerbase season|64230|2016|accessdate=28 December 2019}} |29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5{{efn|Three appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in EFL League Two play-offs}} | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|64230|2017|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|League Two |40 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|One appearance in EFL Trophy, three appearances in EFL League Two play-offs}} | 0 | 49 | 9 |
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|64230|2018|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|League Two |43 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 46 | 4 |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|64230|2019|accessdate=28 December 2019}}
|League Two |36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6{{efn|Three appearances in EFL Trophy, three appearances in EFL League Two play-offs}} | 0 | 47 | 3 |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|64230|2020|accessdate=3 March 2021}}
|League Two |38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|64230|2021|accessdate=31 December 2022}}
|League Two |43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 49 | 0 |
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|64230|2022|accessdate=31 December 2022}}
|43 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 49 | 2 |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|64230|2023|access-date=22 November 2023}}
|League One |42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|64230|2024|access-date=3 September 2024}}
|League One |18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 23 | 1 |
| colspan=2|Total
!332||19||19||1||12||1||27||1||390||22 | |||||||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!344||19||19||1||12||1||28||1||403||22 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
;Reading
Exeter City
- EFL League Two runner-up: 2021–22
Individual
- FAI Under-19 Irish International Player of the Year: 2013
- Exeter City Player of the Year: 2022–23{{cite news|url=https://www.devonlive.com/sport/sport-opinion/im-truly-honoured-been-chosen-8405296 |title=I'm truly honoured to have been chosen as the club's player of the season |author=Pierce Sweeney |publisher=Devon Live |date=4 May 2023 |access-date=22 November 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerbase}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 =
{{FAI Under 19 International Player of the Year}}
{{Exeter City F.C. Player of the Year}}
}}
{{Exeter City F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweeney, Pierce}}
Category:Association footballers from County Dublin
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:League of Ireland players
Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Belvedere F.C. players
Category:Bray Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Exeter City F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers