Ten years after leaving Derry City, McCourt is to rejoin the Brandywell club.

Ireland captain Seamus Coleman believes that Cork City and Dundalk would be good enough to compete at Championship level in England and insists that the League of Ireland does not get the credit it deserves for producing players and teams of high quality.

Ireland captain Seamus Coleman believes that Cork City and Dundalk would be good enough to compete at Championship level in England and insists that the League of Ireland does not get the credit it deserves for producing players and teams of high quality.

Ronan Curtis scored a first half hat-trick as Derry City, record 10-time winners of the competition, beat First Division Shelbourne 7-3 in a thrilling goal-fest last eight tie at the Brandywell to book their place in the semi-final of the EA Sports Cup.

The Irish football year was book-ended and overshadowed by the tragic deaths of Derry City skipper Ryan McBride and the young Shelbourne striker Izzy Desu, writes Liam Mackey.

Their own survival, rather than any part they may indirectly play in being Kingmakers, is all that’s on Finn Harps’ minds as they face reigning champions Dundalk in Ballybofey this evening.

Cork City continue to edge towards the Airtricity League Premier Division title but they had to work hard before finally seeing off a battling relegation-threatened Finn Harps at Finn Park last night.

Finn Harps 0 Cork City 1

Greg Bolger will lead Cork City into the new season free from injuries which left him a frustrated figure last year.

Cork City boss John Caulfield has put the finishing touches to his squad to challenge for the League of Ireland title with confirmation of two new signings ahead of today’s transfer deadline.

A good portion of the Cork City squad which will arrive at the Aviva tomorrow for the FAI Cup final will have finished in the runner-up position in the league for the third year in a row.

Niall McGinn will tell you he never had a long-term career mapped out when he chose soccer over Gaelic football, but he is eternally grateful for eschewing more appealing short-term gains when he did.

Brighton snapped up Northern Ireland winger Paddy McCourt on a free transfer in time for him to sit on the bench for Tuesday’s 2-0 Championship win at Leeds, and Sami Hyypia believes the 30-year-old Derryman has a lot to offer.

Given his high profile in League of Ireland football, the journey has probably taken longer than most people would have expected but, beginning with tonight’s game at home to Derry City, new Shamrock Rovers manager Pat Fenlon will finally step into the dugout of the team he supported as a boy.

Cyprus 0 Northern Ireland 0

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has named a familiar squad for his side’s final World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Israel.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has named a 20-man squad for next week’s World Cup qualifying home clash against Russia.

Dundee United 0 Celtic 4

Ross County 1 Celtic 1

Inverness 1 Celtic 3

Celtic manager Neil Lennon today received a boost ahead of the Champions League clash against Juventus when his international players returned free of injury.

Israeli defender Rami Gershon could make his Celtic debut in the Scottish Premier League clash with Hearts but Australian midfielder Tomas Rogic is still awaiting a work permit.

Hibernian 1 Celtic 0

Neil Lennon hopes Celtic’s good recent form will help take them past Irn-Bru Second Division side Arbroath in tonight’s William Hill Scottish Cup fourth-round replay at Gayfield Park.

Mikael Lustig (hamstring) and Kris Commons (thigh) will miss Celtic’s SPL clash at Kilmarnock after going off injured against Spartak Moscow.

Emilio Izaguirre and Thomas Rogne are back in contention for Celtic’s William Hill Scottish Cup fourth-round clash with Arbroath at Parkhead tomorrow.

Celtic 0 Inverness 1

Northern Ireland 1 Azerbaijan 1

Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 2

Celtic skipper Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew are both fit for tomorrow night’s Champions League Group G opener against Benfica at Parkhead.

Celtic 2 Hibernian 2

Inverness 2 Celtic 4

Neil Lennon will have an injury roll call following Celtic’s 2-0 win over Helsingborg which took the Hoops to the brink of a place in the Champions League group stages.

Neil Lennon will give four of his key players every chance to be ready for the first-leg of Celtic’s Champions League play-off against Helsingborg in Sweden tomorrow night.

Neil Lennon has 10 players either doubtful or out of Celtic’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Ross County at Dingwall tomorrow.

Celtic striker Daryl Murphy has been ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury.

Celtic winger Paddy McCourt is desperate to play a central role this year as the club bids to retain its title.

Neil Lennon believes five-goal Gary Hooper is good enough to play in any league in Europe but hopes to keep him at Celtic next season.

Celtic 5 Hearts 0

The Irish Football Association has expressed its disappointment at James McClean’s recent comments about his time in the Northern Ireland set-up.

Motherwell 0 Celtic 3

Northern Ireland 0 Norway 3

Celtic 2 Dundee United 1

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon was critical of Peterhead’s aggressive approach in their William Hill Scottish Cup fourth-round clash yesterday.

Peterhead 0 Celtic 3

Scottish Cup holders Celtic made six changes for the fourth-round trip to Balmoor to face Peterhead.

Emilio Izaguirre returns to the Celtic squad for tomorrow’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Kilmarnock at Parkhead.

Celtic defender Daniel Majstorovic yesterday underwent surgery on the fractured cheekbone he sustained in the 2-0 win against St Johnstone on Sunday and will be out for six weeks, the Glasgow club confirmed on their official website.

Celtic 2 Dunfermline 1