It's been one of the busiest summer transfer windows for League of Ireland clubs in recent memory, with a number of players leaving the division to go abroad. It's disappointing for the league to lose a lot of their best players, but from a national team stand point, it's encouraging to see a lot of young talent being given an opportunity abroad.
Here's a full list of every Irish player who left the League of Ireland for clubs across Europe.
League of Ireland: Every player to leave the league this Summer
Dawson Devoy - Bohemians to MK Dons
Dawson Devoy is a Don ✍️#DonDeal pic.twitter.com/KKKgrE7L2J
— Milton Keynes Dons (@MKDonsFC) July 13, 2022
The creative midfield was always destined to leave Dalymount Park at some stage after impressing in his three years with Bohemians. In 2021, the Ashbourne native was awarded the PFAI Young Player of the Year and also made the PFAI Team of the Year. The former Bohs' man is also a regular in Jim Crawford's Ireland U21 side.
Prior to his move across the water, Devoy netted an impressive eight times for Bohemians.
Devoy has made a great start to his MK Dons career, assisting twice in his opening four games with the club.
Darragh Burns - St. Patrick's Athletic to MK Dons
28 November 2021; Darragh Burns celebrates with fans after his side's victory in the Extra.ie FAI Cup Final match between Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
The pacy winger caught the eye of several clubs after a great start to the 2022 League of Ireland Premier Division season, with MK Dons winning the race for his signature. Burns joined fellow Irishmen Dawson Devoy, Conor Grant, Warren O'Hora and JJ Kayode at the club. Burns signed for the Dons in a deal worth around €180,000.
The former St. Kevin's man pledged his international future to the Republic of Ireland at the start of the year after previously representing Northern Ireland at youth level. Similarly to Devoy, Burns has made quite the impact since joining the club and scored this beauty last week in MK Dons' victory over Watford in the League Cup.
Darragh Burns is only 19 years of agepic.twitter.com/OSFluAbCMb
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) February 18, 2022
Promise Omochere Bohemians to Fleetwood Town
6 May 2022; Promise Omochere after the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Derry City and Bohemians at The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in Derry. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Last month, Promise Omochere left Bohs for Fleetwood Town, where he signed a three-year contract at the League One side. The 21-year-old made his debut for Bohs back in 2018 and it was reported that the Cods were interested in the striker for quite some time. Fleetwood Town paid close to a six figure sum for Omochere, with a number of add-ons also included in the deal.
Omochere has missed the start of the season at Fleetwood Town because of an eye-socket fracture sustained in pre-season.
Danny Mandriou - Shamrock Rovers to Lincoln City
13 May 2022; Danny Mandroiu after his side's victory in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Shamrock Rovers and Derry City at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
The highly rated attacker completed a move from Tallaght Stadium to League One outfit Lincoln City. No transfer fee was disclosed but it's reported that Rovers received a low, five figure sum for Mandroiu.
Mandroiu scored 22 times in just 53 league games for the reigning League of Ireland Premier Division champions. After being released by Brighton in 2018, the former St. Kevin's Boys player joined Bohemians. He won PFAI Young Player of the Year in his first season at Dalymount.
Ahead of the 2021 season, Mandroiu joined Bohs' arch rivals Shamrock Rovers where he continued his impressive form. The versatile attacker was called into Stephen Kenny's Ireland squad for friendlies against Andorra and Hungary last summer, but remained an unused substitute.
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Ed McGinty - Sligo Rovers to Oxford United
McGinty showed League of Ireland followers around the country just why he was one of the hottest prospects in the division after some heroic performances for the Bit O'Reds. McGinty's final game for Sligo Rovers came in the penalty shootout victory against Bala Town in the Europa League, where his two penalty saves secured a spot in the second round of qualifying.
Ed McGinty saves and Sligo Rovers are through! Motherwell are up next in Europa Conference League qualifying.pic.twitter.com/tl7JQJhfvh
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 14, 2022
The 22-year-old made headlines again during his debut for the U's, where he was the hero yet again in a penalty shootout.
Eoin Toal - Derry City to Bolton Wanderers
🤝 Eoin Toal is a Wanderer. 😍 pic.twitter.com/BeexqoNW9m
— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) July 20, 2022
Armagh native Eoin Toal signed a three-year-deal with Bolton Wanderers earlier this summer. The defender had impressed with some of his performances for Derry City this campaign.
The 23-year-old's final game for Derry City came in the Europa Conference League clash against Riga.
James Abankwah - St. Patrick's Athletic to Udinese
Welcome #Abankwah 🇮🇪🙌
⚪⚫ #ForzaUdinese #AlèUdin #Abankwah pic.twitter.com/JJH11L6KXc— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) January 26, 2022
James Abankwah was one of a number of highly rated Irish youngsters who moved to Italy for the 2022/23 season. After a quality breakthrough season with Pats in 2021, Udinese signed the centre back after the 2021 season, but loaned him back to Tim Clancy's side for the first half of the 2022 season.
Abankwah hasn't made his first team debut for the club just yet, but has been named on the bench in a number of their games.
Eric Yoro - UCD to Bolton Wanderers
18 February 2022; Eric Yoro leaves the pitch at half-time during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Shamrock Rovers and UCD at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
The 18-year-old centre back may have only made his debut for UCD at the start of the season, but it was enough for Bolton to come and look for his signature.
Yoro had primarily been an attacking player prior to his UCD days, showing his versatility in abundance.
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Liam Kerrigan - UCD to Como
Irish U21 international Liam Kerrigan was another youngster who made the decision to go to Italy. The wide man had impressed for UCD during their succesful League of Ireland First Division campaign last year and he continued his form in the first half of this season.
Kerrigan has also become a regular for Jim Crawford's U21 side and is now playing alongside legendary midfielder Cesc Fabregas in Serie B.
He scored his first goal for his new side on his debut last week.
Cathal Heffernan - Cork City to AC Milan
10 October 2021; Cathal Heffernan during the UEFA U17 Championship Qualifying Round Group 5 match between Republic of Ireland and North Macedonia at Turner's Cross in Cork. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Ireland U17 captain Cathal Heffernan spent the first half of the year on loan with Italian giants AC Milan. After impressing in Milan, the club opted to make his transfer permanent.
Heffernan made his debut for the Rebel Army back in 2021 and is now an integral part of AC Milan's U18 and U19 side.
Andy Lyons - Shamrock Rovers to Blackpool
Blackpool reach agreement with @ShamrockRovers to sign Andy Lyons in January.
The full-back will join the Seasiders on a three-and-a-half year contract, which includes an option for a further year. https://t.co/jxvUJCbT55 pic.twitter.com/olEv6JZ6Iv— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) August 29, 2022
Andy Lyons has been perhaps the standout player in the League of Ireland this season. The wing back has popped up with some vital moments and goals for the league leaders, scoring eight goals and assisting six so far this campaign.
Rovers signed Lyons from Bohs at the end of last season, and after just one season at Tallaght Stadium, the Hoops will receive around €300,000 for his services. It's a great piece of business for Rovers who will also hang on to the player until the end of the season, meaning he will be available for the Europa Conference League campaign.
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Michael Kelly - Bray Wanderers to Carlisle United
Goalkeeper Michael Kelly completed his move to Carlisle United from Bray Wanderers at the end of July. Kelly had spent the 2021 season with Longford Town in the League of Ireland Premier Division before joining Pat Devlin's side ahead of this season.
Kelly signed a one-year-contract at the League Two club with an option of a further year.
Alex Murphy - Galway United to Newcastle United
The 18-year-old made the switch from Eamonn Deacy park to St. James' Park at the start of the summer. After making his debut for the club at the age of 16 in the League of Ireland First Division, Murphy went on to make over 25 appearances for the club.
The left back has played in all four of Newcastle's Premier Leaugue 2 fixtures this season.
Killian Cailloce - Drogheda United to SM Caen
Drogheda United can confirm that forward Killian Cailloce has completed a move to French Ligue 2 side @SMCaen
Aged 16, Killian is the youngest player to feature for the club in the LOI.
🔗 https://t.co/929oXjgqGm
🟣🔵 Best of luck Killian, from all at DUFC 👏 pic.twitter.com/qgIzL9ulnv— Drogheda United F.C. (@DroghedaUnited) June 8, 2022
16-year-old Killian Cailloce left Drogheda for Ligue 2 side SM Caen earlier this summer after impressing in the Premier Division side's youth set up.
After making his debut against Sligo Rovers back in March, he became the club's youngest ever player to feature in a competitive game.
John Ryan - UCD to Sassuolo
This move came out of nowhere in the final days of the transfer window, with John Ryan joining Serie A side Sassuolo.
The Limerick native only joined The Students before the season, having previously been at Shamrock Rovers and St Kevin's. He has signed a one-year deal in Italy with the option of a further one season extension, where he is expected to line out for their reserve side for now.
🇮🇪| UCD’s 18 year old LB, John Ryan, is off to Serie A
He’s joined Sassuolo
The 7th Irishman playing his football in Italy
Thank you Brexit
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/YYluDn1Mrg— IrishPropaganda🇮🇪⚽️ (@IrishPropaganda) September 1, 2022
Josh Keeley - St. Patrick's Athletic to Spurs
19 year-old shotstopper Josh Keeley completed his move from St. Patrick's Athletic to Spurs at the start of July. The Dunboyne native signed his first contract with Pats in January 2021 after winning the U19 player of the year award in 2020. He has also been capped for Ireland U19s.
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