[5] In tandem with this, McSweeney tasted success at a number of non-league clubs starting at Hucknall Town, where he spent half a season, under manager Steve Burr, helping them win what was then the Northern Premier League title and achieve promotion to the Football Conference.
McSweeney moved back to his hometown club, Cork City, in the League of Ireland in the summer of 2007, where he worked under well renowned Irish manager Damien Richardson.
Success followed McSweeney to Edgeley Park, and at the end of the 2007–08 season he played his part in helping "The Hatters" gain promotion via the play-offs at the new Wembley Stadium, where they beat Rochdale 3–2 in front of almost 40,000 spectators.
[14] After a slow start to his Orient career due to injury caused in his debut game away at Walsall,[15] McSweeney soon established himself as first choice right back.
McSweeney played a key role in the oncoming fixtures helping the team secure consecutive wins against Sheffield United, Notts County and Stevenage.
McSweeney went on to start ten games for the Cumbrians, winning six and drawing two, but was informed that his short-term deal would not be extended beyond January as a result of budget overspending.
McSweeney instantly slotted in at right back for the struggling "Cobblers" and went on to make eighteen appearances in the remaining twenty games helping the team secure safety in the division on the last day of the season with victory over Oxford.