Irish football’s not-so-hard border

The motion tabled in the House of Commons, in London, by Jim Shannon, a DUP MP, is a straightforward one, writes Paul Rouse.

It moves: “That this House expresses concern over the pursuit of Northern Ireland-born football players by the Football Association Ireland; and calls for the chief executive of the FAI, John Delaney, to send out a clear message that there will be no poaching of NI players, that the boundary lines will be respected and honoured, and that the game will be played fairly and within the rules.”

Four other DUP MPs also signed the motion, and although there will be no formal debate, it is indicative of the enduring divide between the FAI and the IFA over the success the former has enjoyed in courting players from north of the border to play for the Republic of Ireland.