IRISH keeper Brian Murphy has agreed an 18-month contract with Ipswich Town, although he will not be available to play until the transfer window reopens in January.

Carl Marston

IRISH keeper Brian Murphy has agreed an 18-month contract with Ipswich Town, although he will not be available to play until the transfer window reopens in January.

The deal was lined up earlier in the season, but it was only yesterday that official news was released confirming that Murphy, the current Bohemians keeper, would be on his way to Town.

In fact, yesterday was cause for a double celebration for the 26-year-old custodian, because he was also called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup play-off with France. It is his first senior call-up.

He has been drafted in as a replacement for Coventry's Kieren Westwood, who has been forced to withdraw through injury.

Even though he cannot play until January, Murphy will be free to join in training at Portman Road, especially as his League of Ireland commitments with Bohemians ended with their final game of the season against Bray Wanderers last night.

Formerly on the books of Manchester City, for whom he never made a first team appearance, Murphy had loan stints with Oldham and Peterborough, and also had a spell with Swansea, until moving back to his native Ireland in 2007.

His stay at Bohemians has been a roaring success. Before last night, he had kept 63 clean-sheets in 96 outings for the Gypsies, and had also won League and FAI Cup winners' medals.

At the moment, Portsmouth loanee Asmir Begovic is the number one choice at Town - the Bosnian international is set to make his fifth appearance at Reading today. His loan deal expires in mid-January. Richard Wright and Arran Lee-Barrett are the other keepers on Town's books.

Otherwise, manager Roy Keane has implied that no new players are likely to arrive at Ipswich before next year.

Instead of dabbling in the loan market, Keane is poised to wait until the transfer window reopens in January.

“We'll probably leave it until January now,” confirmed Keane.

“I have only spoken to one manager over the last few days. Players might possibly go out on loan, but I can't see anyone coming in before January.”