1. Daryl Horgan
Arguably the standout player in Dundalk’s FAI Cup final win over Cork last year, the 23-year-old midfielder was named in the 2015 League of Ireland PFAI Team of the Year and was linked with a move to Brighton back in November.
2. Patrick McEleney
The 23-year-old forward has been linked with both Brentford and more recently, Peterborough, before eventually leaving Derry to join Dundalk. Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry indicated that the club were reluctant to buy McEleney on account of his injury history. However, should he make a mark with Stephen Kenny’s side, English clubs may well opt to take another look.
3. John Kavanagh
The young Cork City full-back, who has been linked with Portsmouth in the past, has been compared to predecessor Brian Lenihan — another promising young defender who moved from Cork to Hull in 2014. He missed a considerable portion of the most recent League of Ireland campaign through injury, but if Kavanagh — who has just signed a new contract with Cork — can stay fit, it would be no surprise if at least one club from across the water comes in for him.
4. Sean Hoare
The 21-year-old defender already has a League of Ireland title and FAI Cup winners’ medal to his name, while Hoare was linked with both Swansea and Portsmouth in the summer transfer window.
5. Jamie McGrath
The heir apparent to Chris Forrester at St Pat’s, McGrath is a midfielder with the technical ability and footballing intelligence to go far in the game. Still just 19, he has a long way to go before justifying the considerable hype around him, but if he continues to progress at his current rate, the Ireland U19 international could well become another League of Ireland success story across the water.
A version of this piece was published on 31 December 2015
