MASSIVE BOOST FOR EXILES AS MAYO YOUNG GUN GETS ALL-CLEAR TO PLAY

THE London football squad are on the verge of securing a significant boost by recruiting talented Mayo forward Liam Irwin to their cause, WRITES DONNCHADH BOYLE.

Exiles manager Ciarán Deely confirmed that he is hoping that Breaffy clubman Irwin, who was part of the Mayo squad during last year’s league campaign, will join the rest of the London panel in the coming days.

Irwin (pictured) has already lined out for his new club North London Shamrocks in the London county championship against Kingdom Kerry Gaels, which is required by rule if he is to be eligible to line out for Deely’s side.

And the London manager admitted that the talented youngster is “on their radar” as they step up preparations for their Connacht Championship opener against Sligo later this year.

“We’ll be chatting to him about his availability,” Deely told London-based newspaper ‘The Irish World’.

“We always want to bring in quality... he’s definitely on our radar.

“We’d like to get him in to train with us this week. There’s always a space for a couple of quality players within the squad, but anyone who does come in will train and then we’ll see.”

Irwin has won All-Ireland medals with Mayo at minor and U-21 level. He scored 2-2 in the 2016 U-21 final as Mayo saw off Cork in Ennis’ Cusack Park in a memorable final.

Three years earlier, he scored 0-4 to help the Connacht men see off Tyrone in the minor decider.

Irwin was part of Stephen Rochford’s squad during the league last season, but was released from the panel towards the latter stages of the competition to the surprise of many in the county. And it now seems he has decided to spend the foreseeable future in the English capital.

The addition of the Mayo forward would be a major boost for London, who last year recruited three-time All Ireland winner Owen Mulligan.

London have beaten Wicklow and drawn with Limerick so far in Division 4 and are due to take on Leitrim at home before finishing off their league campaign with ties against Laois and Waterford.