Axing NI-RoI soccer friendly would do more harm than good
Although I consider attempts by the soccer authorities in the Republic to be mean spirited, in trying to get promising young Catholic players from Northern Ireland to switch allegiances, I do believe that to cancel the proposed friendly game between both sides would do more harm than good ('˜The IFA should quit the friendly NI v Republic football match over sectarian poaching of players,' March 8).
After all, the Republic’s team is managed by a former Northern Ireland player and captain Martin O’Neill, a man who is an absolute credit to the whole country and is widely respected throughout the soccer world.
If the Republic wish to pursue such pettiness then perhaps their abbreviation FAI should be changed from meaning Football Association of Ireland to mean ‘Find Another Irishman’.
AC Thompson, Dungannon