Exeter City’s Pierce Sweeney Sustains Calf Injury, Faces Extended Absence

Exeter City captain Pierce Sweeney has announced he will be sidelined for a “significant period of time” after suffering a calf injury. The 30-year-old Irishman, who is Exeter’s longest-serving player, has made 391 appearances for the club since joining in the summer of 2016. Prior to Saturday’s victory at Burton Albion, Sweeney had featured in all but one of City’s League One matches. In a post on X, Sweeney stated, “I will be around the boys doing what I can until I’m back fit.” Sweeney’s injury compounds defensive issues for the team, as fellow defender Tristan Crama was forced off with a hamstring problem early in the win at the Pirelli Stadium, and Johnly Yfeko has been unavailable for the past two months due to his own hamstring injury. Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell addressed the situation during an interview with BBC Radio Devon, acknowledging, “We’re stretched a little bit in terms of that area of the pitch.” Caldwell, however, expressed confidence in the squad’s resilience, adding, “But the players that are coming in are showing their quality and showing their versatility and to win with that team shows that the squad is strong.” He also emphasized the importance of player recovery, stating, “We need to keep getting players back fit to give us more options heading into the new year.”