ROY Keane has plundered the riches of his former club, Sunderland, in an effort to propel Ipswich Town up the Championship table.

Carl Marston

ROY Keane has plundered the riches of his former club, Sunderland, in an effort to propel Ipswich Town up the Championship table.

Business was brisk on transfer deadline day, with Keane recruiting fellow Irishmen David Healy and Daryl Murphy, both on loan from Sunderland for the rest of the season.

It is hoped that the attack-minded double act will supply the weaponry up front that has been so sadly lacking at Town this season. Both are set to make their debuts at home to Sunderland's north-east rivals, Middlesbrough, on Saturday.

Town fans will be hoping that Healy, in particular, continues his remarkable trend of scoring goals on his debut. The 30-year-old has already achieved this feat an impressive four times, on his first appearances for Leeds, Fulham Sunderland and Northern Ireland.

Healy is also Northern Ireland's all-time leading scorer with a haul of 35 goals from 78 international appearances.

“I'm more than willing to go back to the Championship and get back to enjoying my football again,” enthused Healy.

Town's interest in Murphy was confirmed on Sunday evening, and the 26-year-old will be looking to make a similar impact, either on the left flank or as a fellow striker.

Like Healy, Murphy has found his first team opportunities limited at the Stadium of Light this season. In fact, he has only been involved in three Premier League games.

Meanwhile, the exit door at Portman Road was also opening and closing at a fair rate yesterday. The departure of Alex Bruce (on loan to Leicester City) and Stern John (back to Crystal Palace) had already been predicted, and Tamas Priskin's on-off move to QPR was finally given the green light to coincide with the arrival of the Sunderland pair.

Priskin is hoping to resurrect his career at Loftus Road, after a nightmarish last few months at Ipswich. The Hungarian international has mustered just one league goal all season, since his �1.7m move from Watford. He has signed for QPR until the end of the season, so teaming up with former Ipswich front-man Marcus Bent, who signed on loan for the West Londoners from Birmingham yesterday morning.

Town also extended defender Tommy Smith's loan stay at Brentford to the maximum 93 days, after an initial one-month spell at Griffin Park, although Keane can exercise a call-back clause in the event of a defensive crisis.