In the run-up to Sunday’s FAI Cup Final, Brian Gartland has been reflecting on the ‘sliding doors’ moment that saw him join Dundalk in July of 2013.

Having produced commendable performances against some of the top sides in the country, Shane Keegan wants his Wexford Youths to finally take that major step and garner a first Premier Division victory when Derry City visit Ferrycarrig Park this evening.

As Dundalk know better than most in recent years, points win prizes.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Bray Wanderers 0: A terrific late free kick from Brandon Miele gave Shamrock Rovers a laboured, but most welcome, first win in five games.

Bray Wanderers 0, Cork City 0

After last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Oriel Park saw Dundalk retain their six-point advantage over Cork City, the top two in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division resume their title contest this evening, with the Lilywhites away to Bray Wanderers and the Rebels at home to Bohemians.

League of Ireland round-up: Bray Wanderers’ players defied the club’s off-the-field problems once again to beat Derry City 1-0 at the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday night.

Derry City manager Peter Hutton expects resurgent Bray Wanderers to be an even tougher nut to crack after securing a new manager.

Mick Cooke last night became the third permanent manager already this season of crisis club Bray Wanderers.

League of Ireland: With leaders Dundalk not in action until tomorrow, Cork City and Shamrock Rovers will both be hoping to make at least temporary inroads into the champions’ lead in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division tonight.

Belle and Sebastian are happy to ignore the jibes and just get on with the music, says Ed Power.

Reports in Italy have linked former Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni with the manager’s job at Morocco.

The bookmakers price them a staggering 18/1 to win but Athlone manager Mick Cooke believes his side can cause an upset as they visit reigning champions St Patrick’s Athletic tonight.

Dundalk’s excellent start to the season has received a major blow with the news that their captain Stephen O’Donnell’s campaign is over.

Caulfield — City’s joint all-time top scorer with Pat Morley and the holder of the record number of appearances for the club — will be officially unveiled at a media event in the city this afternoon.

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 manager Mick Cooke reckons his team will need to hit a European level of performance if they are to overcome Sligo Rovers in tomorrow’s 2013 FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium (3.30pm).

Cork City legend John Caulfield is considered one of the front-runners to take over as the new manager of the club, after the completion of the interview process yesterday.

Drogheda United manager Mick Cooke has expressed strong interest in the vacant positions at Cork City and Derry City.

Cork City face into their penultimate game of the Airtricity League season when they take on Dundalk in Oriel Park tonight but, already, the search for a permanent new manager at Turner’s Cross is well under way.

Drogheda United boss Mick Cooke says he has had several approaches already following the shock announcement by the club last week that they would not be offering him a new contract for 2014.

Goals from Pat Hoban and Richie Towell fired Dundalk to the top of the Premier Division table as they beat ten man UCD 2-0 while erstwhile leaders St. Patrick's Athletic were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home by lowly Bohemians.

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.

Derry City 0 Drogheda United 2

Cork City boss Tommy Dunne is under no illusions as to the task his side face when they take on Premier Division leaders St Patrick’s Athletic in tonight’s top Airtricity League clash at Richmond Park (kick-off 8pm).

St. Patrick’s Athletic came up way short of their own expectations as they bowed tamely out of the Europa League tonight.

Mick Cooke is planning a major upset in the Swedbank Stadium tonight as his Drogheda United side face Malmo in the second leg of their Europa League Cup first qualifying round tie (agg 0-0, 6pm Irish time).

Drogheda United drew a blank for the fourth league match in a row as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to bottom side Shelbourne.

Drogheda United return to the European stage tonight for the first time since 2008 when they host Swedish giants Malmo in Tallaght Stadium (kick-off 7.45pm).

Michael Duffy hit a late double to give Derry City a 2-0 victory over Bohemians at Dalymount Park as the 10-times record winners of the competition deservedly advanced to the semi-finals of the EA Sports Cup.

Champions League fever in Sligo means there are now only 700 tickets left for sale for home fans for their second qualifying round first leg game against Norwegian champions Molde which, the club have confirmed, will take place on Wednesday, July 17 at the Showgrounds.

Shamrock Rovers 7 Drogheda United 1

Drogheda United 1 Shamrock Rovers 7

Sligo Rovers 1 Drogheda Utd 0 (Drogheda Utd win 2-1 on agg)

St. Patrick's Athletic ended champions Sligo Rovers' eight-match winning start to the season with an emphatic 2-0 win at Richmond Park to firmly throw down their own title credentials with a fourth straight victory.

Cork City bid to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions this season to seven when they take on Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds this evening, but manager Tommy Dunne will have to plan without key defender Dan Murray, ruled out because of work commitments.

Admittedly, it’s a wee bit early to be talking about table-toppers but, technically speaking at least, Bohemians travel to Turner’s Cross this evening as the Airtricity League frontrunners for what will be Cork City’s first home game of the 2013 campaign.

The 2013 campaign gets underway later tonight.

For the faithful, the dawning of the first day of the new Airtricity League season brings with it a familiar quickening of the pulse and the heady sensation that anything is possible.

It's shaping up to be an all Airtricity League last four in the Setanta Sports Cup for the first time in the competition's history following last night's action north and south of the border.

Cork City delighted Turner's Cross as they hammered runaway Irish League leaders Cliftonville 4-0 in the pick of last night's Setanta Sports Cup first round, first leg clashes as the cross-border competition got under way.

As expected, Katie Taylor was last night named the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for 2012.

The most eye-catching of the opening day fixtures for the 2013 Airtricity League Premier Division will see Thomond Park play host to the meeting of Limerick and Cork City.

Robbie Keane has said he will only consider a loan move to an English club in January if he feels is 100% fit.

Bohemians 1 Drogheda United 4

It was a season where Sligo exploded with joy after ending a 35-year wait for the title, Shamrock Rovers relinquished their crown without a whimper and Drogheda United exceeded all expectations.