Mooney finished as top scorer in Ireland last season
Carlisle United have revealed they had a club record £150,000 bid for Cork City striker Dave Mooney turned down.
The 23-year-old, who has scored 15 times in 22 appearances for Cork this season, joined Championship side Reading this week.
"I liked the player and put an offer in," Carlisle manager John Ward told BBC Radio Cumbria.
"But the player said that he wished to go a little bit higher and get into the Championship, and so it has proved."
Mooney joined Cork from Longford in January after winning the league's player of the year award last season for finishing top scorer.
Crystal palace and Blackburn Rovers had also expressed an interest in the player before his move to the Madejski Stadium for an undisclosed fee.
We have missed out because the lad went into the Championship, but it shows that we are looking at the right things
Carlisle manager John Ward
"It just shows that we were on the right lines I think with our scouting system," Ward said.
"We knew that it was a bit of a long shot in a way. Once I had seen him I knew that this young man could play football.
"We have missed out because the lad went into the Championship, but it shows that we are looking at the right things."
Meanwhile, Ward says there is unlikely to be any more movement before the transfer deadline on 1 September.
"I am expecting a pretty quiet week on the transfer front," he said.
"We have got three big games and I think that is enough for us to deal with. If we have any problems that we just suddenly pick up then we might have to look at it.
"The loan period opens a week after the window shuts permanently and that is something that we can utilise if we need to."
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