AS THE LEAGUE of Ireland season draws towards its nerve-shredding final day, Gav and Sinead discuss the boom in popularity of domestic football.

Why have crowds increased so significantly this decade? And can the rising numbers be leveraged into that most elusive and long-desired of things: a thriving football industry in Ireland.

The pair talk about what needs to happen next to make that aspiration real, from improved stadiums with greater capacity, to television deals with major international networks and an academy structure which provides a conveyor belt of elite level talent which can further improve the standard of the league and lead to more hefty transfer fees from wealthy overseas clubs.

With Shelbourne one win away from an unlikely title triumph, the impact of Damien Duff is examined. What is it about the League of Ireland that so energises one of Ireland’s greatest ever players? He says he will never manage an Irish club other than Shelbourne, but could he step into the Ireland manager’s chair in future, despite his past differences of opinion with the FAI?

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