James McClean has lashed out at the “awful” standard of League of Ireland pitches and suggested it shows how far the league still has to travel. McClean made the comments after an appearance off the bench for Derry City in Monday’s draw away to Sligo Rovers, with the standard of The Showgrounds pitch in the early part of the season a consistent talking point in recent years, with the ball visibly bobbling on an uneven surface at key points of the game.

Source: Irish Independent April 08, 2026 02:41 UTC