The flow of talented domestic players to the UK will continue unabated unless Ireland can develop a strong football culture of its own, Republic of Ireland under-23 manager Pat Fenlon has said.

Fenlon returned to management for the first time since leaving Derry City in May when steering Ireland to an impressive 2-0 win over Slovakia at Dalymount Park on Tuesday night.

Scouts from Crystal Palace, Leeds, Colchester, Brighton and Dundee United were in attendance to run their eye over the league's finest young players.

Fenlon is disappointed to see top players leave the League of Ireland but fully understands why they do.  He has urged clubs to radically improve facilities for players and spectators in a bid to stem the drain.

"We are losing too many quality players," he said.  "I've seen it at Shelbourne last year and it's something we don't want to see.
 
"But if players have an opportunity to play at a better level, with better facilities and with better contracts then it's very difficult to stop that.  The only good thing is that our clubs are getting properly compensated.

"But it's catch-22 and something we'll always be dealing with until we get some sort of football culture in our own country, for our own league.  We don't have that and that's very disappointing."

Should, as expected, a player like Longford's Dave Mooney - the league's top scorer this season - move to Britain this winter they will still be eligible for the Irish under-23 squad.

Although Fenlon's selection for Tuesday's game consisted solely of League of Ireland players, he said any player who moves abroad could still feature in future squads.

The former Shelbourne and Derry manager relished his return to the touchline and was particularly pleased with his team's performance.

Thrown together in a matter of days, you'd be forgiven for expecting a disjointed end-of-season display from jaded players.  But Ireland played with cohesion and real purpose throughout.

"They've come in with a great attitude," said Fenlon of the players.  "It's hard to get together in such a short space of time but we tried to create some form of club atmosphere.

"I told them before the game how they were not just representing the country but the league too and that's a big thing. The players deserve the credit because they've stuck to what we've asked them to do."

Fenlon will take in Northern Ireland's clash with group rivals Belgium in December ahead of his next game against the North in the spring.

Italy, England, Wales and Finland contest the other group with the two table toppers meeting in the final in Italy in 18 months time.