In recent seasons we have seen, Long, Doyle, Fahey, Dicker, Murphy, Mooney, Powell, O'Flynn, Conneely, McCallister, O'Shea, Myler, McGinn, McCourt, Keegan, Kavanagh, Gartland, Coleman, Doherty, Hoolahan, Sammon, Murphy(GK), Behan, Bennet, O'Donovan, O'Callaghan, Gamble, McChrystal, Madden, Hoban, Keohane, Forde, Dillon, Byrne, Foran, Kelly (Crumlin/Oldham) and several more besides that I have probably omitted leave the league.
Thats a lot of talent to have lost.
Of those, only Long, Doyle and Fahey and Coleman play for sides in the upper Champoinship or EPL or are presently likely to play for Ireland regularly, although Sammon and Myler will hopefully do so also. The others although some of them stars in their LOI sides have found their levels further down the divisions in England.
I think it has seen LOI shorn of its better players which has in turn definitely weakened the standard of the league. The flipside being we have about half a dozen extra players for Ireland who would regretably not be considered if still in the LOI.
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