There’s been a fair bit of talk about nerves in the build-up to the U17 European Championship Finals which finally kick-off today.

Cork City have moved into second place in the Aitricity League Premier Division after a 2-0 win at Bray Wanderers tonight.

Shamrock Rovers 0 Dundalk 2

While many could have anticipated that Dundalk would make up one half of an early top-of-the-table clash, far fewer would have predicted that their opponents would be Derry City.

Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 2: Goals in either half from Billy Dennehy and Christy Fagan gave Pat’s all three points from this entertaining Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium. Dennehy opened the scoring as the game entered first half injury time with Fagan scoring the second early in the second half.

Finn Harps 0 Shamrock Rovers 1: Shamrock Rovers were forced to battle hard to overcome a resolute Finn Harps side in a stop-start encounter in Ballybofey last night.

It was a good night for the champions.

Shamorck Rovers 3 Cork City 0: Damien Duff finally made his League of Ireland debut last night, coming on in the dying moments in Tallaght immediately after a third Shamrock Rovers goal had ensured the comprehensive victory which boosts the Hoops European dreams while leaving Cork City’s title aspirations hanging by the slenderest of threads.

Shamrock Rovers 4 Limerick 1: Having opened the scoring with a spectacular strike, Brandon Miele completed Shamrock Rovers’ tally with the goal of the game in an easy win at Tallaght Stadium.

Damien Duff might be an Irish football legend but Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Fenlon has made it clear that the club’s new star signing is not automatically guaranteed a place in his team.

With a Uefa Europa League draw to look forward to during it, Cork City players and staff will hope to enjoy the upcoming summer break.

It’s the cup holders versus the all-time cup record-holders at Richmond Park tonight when St Patrick’s Athletic host Shamrock Rovers in the stand-out tie of a hectic FAI Cup second round weekend.

Four of the top five go head to head in the SSE Airtricity League tonight with leaders Dundalk away to fifth-placed St Patrick’s Athletic and second taking on third as Cork City host Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross.

Despite his disappointment at Friday’s 1-2 loss to Dundalk, Cork City manager John Caulfield was once again able to express pride in the club’s fan base, after a capacity crowd of nearly 7,000, in a season of bumper attendances at Turner’s Cross, turned up for the televised game.

Shamrock Rovers 0  Bohemians 0

John Caulfield wants more of the same from Cork City’s 12th man against Galway United at Turner’s Cross tonight to help get the goals flowing again Cork have taken a point apiece from resolute away draws at Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers either side of a 5-0 home victory over a struggling Limerick in a steady if unspectacular start to the season.

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division

There are just three games in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division tonight but no shortage of quality and tantalising sub-plots, as Shamrock Rovers meet Cork City in Tallaght, cup holders St Pats travel to Oriel Park to take on champions Dundalk, and joint bottom clashes with joint top as Galway United host Drogheda United.

A greater array of options means Cork City manager John Caulfield is more likely to rotate his side depending on the opposition compared to last season.

Longford Town 0, Shamrock Rovers 2:

SSE Airtricity Premier Division

Limerick FC 1 Sligo Rovers 0

Cork City 2 Sligo Rovers 1

Sligo Rovers 1 Rosenborg BK 3(Aggregate 3-4)

Mike Jensen broke Sligo hearts tonight as Rosenborg hit back to book their place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

Sligo Rovers are on the brink of one of the biggest achievements in the club’s history. Last season’s FAI Cup winners lead Norwegian giants Rosenborg 2-1 ahead of tonight’s Europa League second qualifying round second leg at The Showgrounds.

Sligo claimed a shock victory in the Europa League second qualifying round as they claimed a 2-1 win over Rosenborg in Norway.

Sligo Rovers 0 Cork City 0

Eamon Zayed came off the bench to send Shamrock Rovers to the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division after a 1-0 win over bottom club Athlone Town at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday.

Stephen Kenny wants his Dundalk players to maintain their desire to help sustain their impressive start to the season.

SSE AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION:

Appointing Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane as the Republic of Ireland’s new management team is the exact type of boost the Airtricity League needed.

Sligo Rovers 3 Drogheda United 0

Anthony Elding said he couldn’t have written the script better as his dream ending to the season saw him win the FAI Ford Cup for Sligo Rovers.

Drogheda United 2 Sligo Rovers 3

Goals from Patrick Hoban and Kurtis Byrne secured a second place finish in the Airtricity League Premier Division for Dundalk as they beat Bray Wanderers 2-0 at the Carlisle Grounds in the final series of matches of the 2013 season.

Goals from Chris Forrester and man-of-the-match Daryl Kavanagh gave St. Patrick's Athletic a big 2-0 win over Dundalk in the top-of-the-table clash at Richmond Park to edge the Inchicore side closer to a first title in 14 years.

Sligo Rovers 1 Derry City 0

Raffaele Cretaro ended Derry City's reign as FAI Ford Cup holders with the only goal at the Showgrounds as Sligo Rovers, winners of the competition in 2010 and 2011, advanced to the semi-finals, the draw for which will be made on Monday night.

A stunning free kick goal from Killian Brennan gave St. Patrick's Athletic a deserved 1-0 win over a sluggish Derry City at the Brandywell to see the Dubliners move back top of the Premier Division table, two points clear of Dundalk.

Sligo Rovers 2 Limerick FC 0

A terrific headed goal from Gavin Peers booked Sligo Rovers' passage through to the quarter-finals of the FAI Ford Cup as they beat Cork City 1-0 at the Showgrounds.

Pat Hoban scored twice as Dundalk maintained their fine form to beat Shamrock Rovers 3-1 at Oriel Park to move to within a point of leaders St. Patrick's Athletic at the top of the Premier Division table.