Pierce Sweeney and Cheick Diabate: Exeter City centre-backs to stay until 2024

Sweeney was part of an Exeter defence that kept 19 clean sheets last season

Exeter City defenders Pierce Sweeney and Cheick Diabate have signed new deals to stay with the club until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Sweeney, 27, is in his second spell with the Grecians having re-signed last summer less than a month after leaving to join Swindon Town.

The Irish centre-back initially spent five seasons with the club from 2016.

Sweeney was a mainstay of Exeter's defence last season, playing 49 times as they won promotion to League One.

"I'm really happy to extend my stay here longer," Sweeney told the club website.

"I was due up at the end of this season but I've been rewarded. To go into a League One season after the really successful season last year, with an extra year on top as well, is really really pleasing for me."

Cheick Diabate established himself in the Exeter defence last season

Central defender Diabate made his first-team debut for Exeter on New Year's Day having signed for the team's academy when he was a teenager.

The 20-year-old was recalled from a loan spell at non-league Truro City and went on to feature 19 times during the second half of Exeter's League Two campaign, scoring twice.

"It feels good to get a new contract and know that I'm going to be here for another two years. I'm going into my fifth year here now, so I'm looking forward to it," Cheick said.

"At the start of last season I was on loan and wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I got given my chance and took it. I'm really happy I broke in, and I'm looking forward to more success."