How The Irish Fared

By Mark Stokes

TRACTOR BOY: Damien Delaney joined Roy Keane's revolution at Ipswich this week. / Getty Images

After weeks of will he won’t he reports concerning Kevin Doyle, the Republic of Ireland striker finally sealed a move from Reading to Wolves this week.

Doyle has signed a four-year deal at Molyneux, where he will work with former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, who is currently in the process of revamping his squad.

“I'm delighted to get the move sorted and can't wait to get going,” said the blond haired striker. “I spoke to the manager and chief executive over a week ago and came to the training ground to see everything.

“I've been making my mind up over the last couple of weeks and am just really pleased the decision has been made.

“The facilities here are top class and it's great to be going back into the Premier League again. I'm sad to be leaving Reading because I had some great years there but I'm going with their blessing as well which is nice. This is a fresh start.”

The former Cork City striker believes Wolves can repeat the success Reading enjoyed during their first season in the Premier League following promotion from the Championship. Doyle will be delighted to know that Irish TV pundit, Eamonn Dunphy, has branded the Irish international's move as a 'massive blunder'.

He has a long way to go to reach the level of success enjoyed by Kevin Doyle, but Sean McGinty was also thanking his lucky stars this week.

Manchester United have agreed to pay Charlton an undisclosed compensation package for the promising 15-year-old, who has represented Republic of Ireland at U-16 and U-17 levels.

The Addicks’ defender was offered scholarship terms at The Valley this summer having been at the club for the past three years but upon United showing a strong interest in his services, he has decided on a switch to the Premier League champions.

Despite McGinty not officially having a contract with Charlton, the two clubs have come to an agreement which includes additional payments depending on the player’s success with United.

Charlton chairman Richard Murray told the club's official website: “To have a club like Manchester United tracking our youth players clearly shows the quality that our academy is currently producing.

“Of course, nothing would have made us happier than Sean coming through the ranks and representing our first team, and our coaches had high hopes for him. We did our utmost to persuade him to stay. But equally, joining such a big Premier League club is obviously an attractive prospect, and Sean and his family made it clear that they wanted to move north to United.

This English-born Irishman is clearly one we’ll be keeping an eye on!

There’ll be an eerie feeling among IpswichTown fans this week following Roy Keane’s first signing as manager of that club. The former Manchester United captain has signed fellow Corkman Damien Delaney from Queens Park Rangers.

Delaney, a 28-year-old left back, and formerly of CorkCity, LeicesterCity and Hull, is a regular member of Giovanni Trapattoni’s current Republic of Ireland squad, winning two senior caps since the Italian took charge last year.

But it was Keane’s propensity for buying all things Irish at Sunderland, not to mention the Stg9m he spent on Craig Gordon, which was seen as a major factor in his downfall at the Stadium of Light.

After completing the switch to Portman Road, Delaney said: “I think Ipswich have a great chance of being successful. Hopefully they will be successful this year and hopefully I’ll be part of it.”

Anthony Stokes’s proposed move to Scottish Premier League side Hibernian is unlikely to happen after Sunderland refused to agree to another loan spell for the player.

Stokes, who has two years left to run on his Black Cats deal, had been targeted by new Hibs boss John Hughes, who worked with the Dubliner during a fruitful loan stay at Falkirk three years ago.

New Sunderland boss Steve Bruce wants to offload the 20-year-old, who was loaned to Sheffield United and CrystalPalace last season, on a permanent basis.

And that means that Hibs are unlikely to take their interest any further, with the club facing up to budget cuts following the collapse of Setanta Sports.

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey has dismissed rumours Leicester have made a bid for striker Andy Keogh.

Reports suggested the Foxes had offered Wanderers Stg1.5m for the Republic of Ireland international, who has only recently extended his contract at Molineux.

But Moxey has been quick to quell such speculation, telling the Express and Star: "It's nonsense - there has been no bid for Andy Keogh."

Premier League new-boys Wolves currently have five strikers on their books - with Keogh, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Kevin Doyle, Chris Iwelumo and Sam Vokes all battling it out to start against