The era of Irish players figuring at the business end of England’s Premier League is long gone but that hasn’t stopped the major clubs hawking these shores for young talent.

A Meath resident accused of robbing more than €300,000 worth of tobacco products was told by gardaí that mobile phone traffic would link him to the armed robbery, a trial has heard.

A former taxi driver who drove a stolen van containing cigarettes worth over €300,000 which had been earlier robbed from two delivery men has been sentenced to four years in prison with the last two and half years suspended.