For Dalymount Park, the fervent hope must be that we can soon be calling it the once and future home of Irish football.

Dermot McElroy is determined to break his championship duck when the Irish Amateur Open gets under way at The Royal Dublin today.

The backdrop to last night’s events in Dublin had been a negative one, despite the Stockholm result, focused as it was on past defeats to Austria who have found encounters with Ireland, more often than not, to their liking.

Ireland finished a highly-creditable third in the European Nations Cup after a splendid final day at Sotogrande.

Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar leads a strong Irish contingent looking to score a home victory against a stacked international field at Carton House this week for the International European Amateur Championship.

Michael Hoey put his rivals to the sword, including fellow Irishman Damien McGrane, in being presented with a ceremonial dagger as his prize for winning the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

Big Break winning hero, Mark Murphy is living the dream after putting himself into contention in the weather affected Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

There was not even the proverbial man and his dog on hand to witness Damien McGrane move to a two-stroke lead with a 65 on the opening day of the Hassan II Trophy in Agadir.

Shane Lowry has never played Augusta National but believes it would be easier to play a round of golf on next month’s Masters venue than to tee up on this week’s host Hassan II Trophy course at Agadir.

Romania will field a second-string side against England on Saturday after coach Romeo Gontineac made 11 changes for the Otago Stadium clash.

BALLYMENA teenager Dermot McElroy ticks all the boxes as he pitches up at County Sligo today bidding to become the youngest winner of the West of Ireland Championship since Rory McIlroy.

BRIAN CARNEY’S return to rugby league is set to provide Ireland with a major boost for the end-of-season European Nations Cup.

BETH DANIEL and Meg Mallon fired the USA into a two-shot lead at the European Nations Cup in Spain yesterday.

Shane Lowry finished sixth in the European Nations Championship at Sotogrande as England's Sam Hutsby beat Spain's Carlos Pigem Xammar to take title at the first extra hole.

France remain on course to join the Tri-Nations Series in 2009 despite their World Cup flop, according to Rugby Football League executive chairman Richard Lewis.

Ireland's Shane Lowry took another step towards making his Walker Cup debut next year when he captured the prestigious Sotogrande Cup after a sudden-death play-off.

Irish champion Shane Lowry is just one stroke off the lead entering Friday's third round of the Sotogrande Cup in Spain.

IT all began for Ian Dowling on a lovely spring afternoon in 2004.

Eddie O’Sullivan has demanded an end to the post mortem into Ireland’s abysmal World Cup opener on the eve of another potentially hazardous contest.

IRELAND remain fifth in the IRB world rankings but are now less than two points adrift of South Africa in fourth.

RIET KUPER yesterday tendered her resignation as coach to the Irish senior women’s hockey team in a move which could ultimately see several changes in the sport’s international coaching system.

Cork Harlequins 2 Lisnagarvey 1

THE Irish Wolfhounds, Ireland’s rugby league team, are playing Wales at home tomorrow at Lakelands in Terenure.

Ireland have seen off Scotland 12-6 in their rugby league European Nations Cup opener in Glasgow, thanks to tries from Karl Fitzpatrick and Dean Gaskell.

IRISH hockey goalkeeper Wesley Bateman has decided to retire from international competition.

The Irish men’s hockey team are quietly confident they can regain their status among Europ’s elite at this week’s European nations Cup in Rome. Ace goalscorer Stephen Butler tells Declan Colley why.

England went down to a 2-0 semi-final defeat to reigning European champions Holland in the European Nations Cup in Dublin.

NIGEL BUTTIMER has announced his retirement from international hockey at the age of 28.

Ireland women’s coach Riet Kuper has omitted three experienced internationals from her training squad, which travels to Spain next month, in order to give younger players a chance.

England 36 Ireland 12

England justified being labelled favourites today with a comfortable victory in the European Nations Cup final over a limited Ireland team containing just three Super League players.

Ireland coach Daryl Powell has promised his side will “give it a go” in the European Nations Cup final against England at Warrington this weekend.

Barry Coughlan

Former Great Britain forward Barrie McDermott will play for Ireland in their European Nations Cup group decider against Scotland in Navan.

Scotland notched their first win on home soil for five years to set up a European Nations Cup group decider against Ireland on Friday.

New Scotland coach Steve McCormack has named 10 uncapped players in his 20-man squad for the European Nations Cup games with Wales and Ireland.

IRELAND'S Rugby League side got their European Nations Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 25-12 victory over Wales at Aberavon yesterday.

Wales 12 Ireland 25

Salford centre Stuart Littler and Halifax’s Australian-born loose forward Pat Weisner are among the newcomers named in Ireland’s 19-man squad for the European Nations Cup.

Ireland have made just one change for their final European Nations Cup pool match against France at Dalymount Park, Dublin, tomorrow.

Ireland's men booked themselves a play-off for ninth place in the European Nations Cup after hammering Switzerland 5-2.

Ireland’s women moved, albeit briefly, to the top of Pool B at the European Nations Cup after a 2-1 win over Italy maintained their 100% record.

Ireland’s women won the battle of the Celts with a tight 1-0 victory over Wales in their opening game at the European Nations Cup in Barcelona.