PALS SOLD ME THIS LEAGUE

Dundalk ace Davies admits encouraging words from sh mates led to move to Oriel Park

- PAUL O'HEHIR

Dundalk v Drogheda United 7.45

CARRYING out due diligence on the League of Ireland was pretty easy for Archie Davies as he contemplated a move from England.

The new Dundalk defender has enough Irishmen - including current senior internationals - on speed dial from his time at Brighton.

After all, that's a club whose links with this country predate Evan Ferguson's dramatic rise to fame.

Davies played and lived with Warren O'Hora, the former Bohemians man now at MK Dons while ex-Shamrock Rovers ace Danny Mandroiu was another former team-mate.

Ireland ace Jayson Molumby (right) never played in the league but he and Davies remain close friends with the West Brom star putting him in touch with enough people.

And Aaron Connolly, the forgotten man of Stephen Kenny's squad trying to piece his career back together at Hull City, was another who Davies played with regularly.