Steady progress is being made on the establishment of a third League of Ireland division for the 2023 season.
The idea has been mooted before but Mirror Sport understands that productive talks took place between the FAI and interested parties recently.
The new division will consist of some reserve teams from Premier Division clubs, sides from the university and college ranks and other leagues, including the Leinster and Munster Senior.
A 10-team third tier is envisaged, split on a north-south geographical divide to help reduce the various costs associated with longdistance travel.
Promotion and relegation between the current First Division and the new third tier is on the cards but the reserve sides of existing League of Ireland clubs won’t move up or down.
The prospect of the League Cup being contested only by First Division sides and the clubs in the new third tier has also been discussed but not settled on.
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