As we prepare to enter the 2020s, Pat Fitzpatrick takes a look back at the first two decades of the century so far.

As late equalisers go, it obviously wasn’t quite up there with Ibaraki, that mind-blowing moment in stoppage time against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, when Robbie Keane fastened onto Niall Quinn’s header and crashed the ball via Oliver Kahn and the inside of the post to the back of the net.

In the run-up to big games, we easily pleased meeja types like nothing better than when rival managers and players have the fabled ‘pop’ at each other.

From Saipan to the sports committee, Joe Leogue looks at the former CEO’s career in the FAI

It’s a real game of two halves for Irish football just now.

Former England U19 midfielder Daniel Crowley has confirmed he’s requested the FAI to process his international transfer.

Mick McCarthy has opened up about his relationship with Roy Keane in a candid interview with Eamonn Dunphy.

Gaizka Mendieta might have been the man who ended the World Cup dream of Ireland and Robbie Keane in 2002 but these days he has nothing but sympathy for the country’s thankless task in trying to locate a successor to our now retired record goalscorer.

Damien Duff has criticised the FAI's "crazy" decision to appoint Stephen Kenny in advance as Mick McCarthy's successor.

As Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane pitch into battle tonight without the services of disenchanted Harry Arter, former Ireland boss Mick McCarthy is calling on him to mount a reconciliation bid.

Seven days on from the biggest result in Irish hockey history, the opponent and the venue is the same as Ireland look to make an even more seismic impact.

Japan’s meeting with Russia at the 2002 World Cup produced one of Eamon Dunphy’s most famous RTÉ moments.

It has been said that Pat Spillane is the Eamon Dunphy of RTÉ’s GAA coverage. It has also been said that George Hook was the Dunphy of RTÉ’s rugby coverage.

Soccer has embraced VAR and it has proved successful at the World Cup. Though it will take time for it to become a seamless part of the game, it must be seen as a positive development for the sport, writes Dr Ed Coughlan.

It starts officially tomorrow although celebrations have been underway for a little while. The 30th anniversary of Ireland’s Euro 88 adventure. Specifically, tomorrow marks 30 years since Ray Houghton’s goal.

Damien Duff is clearly sick of Saipan.

Our man inside the game knows what football runs scared of men like Sol Campbell

With Martin O’Neill’s position as Ireland manager moving closer to the brink than it’s ever been before over the last 48 hours, the question of who might succeed him — whether that’s sooner or later — has gained fresh momentum.

A book about the shirts worn by Irish football internationals over the years is to get a second print run, owing to the huge demand for the illustrated tome.

Who knows how much money he would have made, how many caps he’d have earned, how many honours he’d have won, had Colin Healy not had his leg badly broken by an awful tackle when he was just 23. 

He was famed as an England boss but any Irish players came under the wing of the late Graham Taylor during his long managerial career, with the legendary Paul McGrath leading the tributes to his former boss.

Every year in Trinity College Dublin, John Scally, a lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religions, organises a conference on the ethics of sport, writes Paul Rouse.

Nobody in the ilk of Damien Duff has graced the Ireland squad since the magician retired after Euro 2012, but Daryl Horgan hopes the similarities in appearance noticed by his new teammates yesterday can in some way be replicated in a football sense.

A point on the road from a World Cup opener against one of Ireland’s qualification rivals may represent mission accomplished but only the passing of time will determine whether this was a real opportunity missed.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

It was well past midnight when Ireland’s team bus pulled out of Lille but songs and stories dominated the three-hour journey down the A1 towards the Versailles.

The Republic of Ireland travels to France this week with a squad of 23 players who will be looking to make history and take Ireland out of the group stage for the first time in the Euros.

Mick McCarthy insists the unresolved issue of Martin O’Neill’s contract will have no impact whatsoever on either the manager’s or the players’ performances at the Euros.

Fourteen years on from the World Cup finals in Japan and Korea, when he scored for Ireland against Saudi Arabia, Gary Breen is still being followed around the place by one of the daftest and most memorable of the Green Army’s all-time greatest hits.

If Louis Van Gaal’s days as Manchester United boss are numbered, then his fellow Dutchman Edgar Davids believes the club are dispensing with a coach they should feel blessed to have.

Damien Duff is in line for a pre-tax windfall of almost €1.24m arising from the wind-up of his UK commercial firm.

There were times when, such was his enduringly youthful enthusiasm for the game, it seemed as if Damien Duff would go on forever, but yesterday came the news that, reluctantly, one of Ireland’s best-loved players has had to call time on his football career.

Just how did a Japanese artist begin drawing characters from Father Ted and publishing them every day? Noel Baker finds out from Dublin-based sketcher Shota Kotake

TOP Irish athlete Mark English has few illusions about his sport of choice.

The high point of Mick McCarthy’s reign as Ireland manager (with the lowest point thrown in for good measure) was leading Ireland to a terrific showing at the 2002 World Cup finals.

On this month’s 25th anniversary of Italia ‘90, Niall Quinn gives the inside story of a summer he — and we — will never forget.

FAI chief executive John Delaney moved last night to put “clear blue water” between the Association and an old Dublin-based Irish arm of Fifa with revenues of more than €100m during seven years of business here.