Time to ground the magic plane

As the domestic game’s big two go head to head again tonight, former Cork City player Neal Horgan argues for greater recognition of the League of Ireland at international level.

Last month Martin O’Neill discussed the League of Ireland on the podcast ‘Greatest League in the World’ with broadcaster Con Murphy and Conan Byrne of St Patrick’s Athletic.

When asked about the pattern that has developed over the past 10 to 15 years of League of Ireland players being very swiftly selected for the Irish squad on the back of a transfer to the UK — a journey known in domestic football circles as ‘the magic plane’ — O’Neill raised the argument of the higher standard in the Championship in England as against that which prevails in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland.