If it is a fact that we Irish, especially this week, have a global monopoly on all the forty shades of green.

Ireland 1, Mexico 3: As Ireland’s players and the swathes of FAI support staff made their way for the exits at MetLife Stadium late Thursday night, there was a noticeable haste to their step.

It was a night of few goals…

Ryanair has carried more international customers than any other airline this year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Greece is aiming for a deal with international lenders today on the next set of reforms to unlock extra aid, but differences remain over how to handle banks’ bad loans. 

Pope Francis has arrived at the United Nations for a speech that will bring his message to an international audience.

“it's like having Ireland in your pocket – just one click away”.

It was a victory to savour for the locals as Donegal cousins Declan Boyle and Brian Boyle (Subaru) won the Letterkenny-based Donegal International Rally, round four of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship.

Former Munster prop Freddy Pucciariello has warned Joe Schmidt’s men to expect a hostile welcome in the outposts where their two Tests take place this month.

Dave Foley understands all about the years of patience and hard work that go into becoming an overnight success.

West Brom 1 Stoke City 2

Stoke 1 Hull 0

BOSS Giovanni Trapattoni has given an unreserved thumbs-up to Ireland’s fixture schedule for the 2012 European Championship campaign.

THE Republic of Ireland senior women’s side gave their World Cup qualifying campaign a massive boost yesterday by defeating Israel 3-0 at the at the Ness Ziona Stadium in Israel.

THE map of Ireland’s 2012 European Championship campaign will be made clear today in Moscow.

JAMIE O’HARA has confirmed he will make a decision about his international future after this summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

FOR Dunga the player, read Dunga the coach.

BRAZIL intend to go at full throttle when they take on Ireland side tonight in their final friendly before the start of this summer’s World Cup.

ENGLAND were training at the same time as Ireland at London Colney yesterday but the English session was strictly behind closed doors, meaning that the Irish press posse was kept at more than arm’s length while our English counterparts weren’t permitted on site at all.

FRANCE legend Zinedine Zidane “would rather die” than apologise to Marco Materazzi, who he headbutted during the 2006 World Cup final.

WILLIAM Gallas, has broken his silence on the goal which knocked Ireland out the World Cup.

GLENN WHELAN has been reliving the moments when he tried to assist Aaron Ramsey after the tackle on Saturday which broke the Arsenal player’s leg.

THEY’VE been mad about the boy for a long time now and, in Scotland, some have even been mad at the boy, but at Arsenal’s cold and wet training ground, James McCarthy is attracting nothing but warm welcomes as he finally moves amongst us as a senior member of the Republic of Ireland squad.

AS an attacking midfielder, James McCarthy is not unlike Stephen Ireland and could give Giovanni Trapattoni the chance to experiment tactically.

ALTHOUGH he admits it took him weeks to recover from the pain of Paris, Giovanni Trapattoni is now relishing the opening of a new chapter in his reign as manager of the Republic of Ireland.

LIAM BRADY is stepping down as Ireland’s Assistant Manager.

WIGAN manager Roberto Martinez believes Scottish fans’ reaction to midfielder James McCarthy’s decision to pledge his allegiance to the Republic of Ireland will probably persuade the player to stick to his first choice.

ROY KEANE believes Giovanni Trapattoni will be ‘rubbing his hands’ in anticipation after the draw for the 2012 European Championship qualifying groups presented Ireland with a realistic chance of reaching the finals in Poland and the Ukraine.

GERMAN coach Joachim Low is confident his side will qualify for Euro 2012, even though they find themselves in one of the most competitive groups after yesterday’s draw in Warsaw.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND manager Giovanni Trapattoni has called on his team to show the spirit of Paris when they begin the battle to qualify for Euro 2012.

SO yes, there is life after the World Cup and now we know what it looks like.

REPUBLIC of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni says he has forgiven Thierry Henry for his infamous handball in their World Cup play-off in Paris last November.

ENGLAND fans have not taken up 6,000 of the 29,000 World Cup tickets allocated by organisers to the Football Association for the official supporters’ club.

SOMETIMES football, like the law, is an ass.

AND so the greatest Irish football sensation since Saipan ends not with a bang but a whimper.

Ivory Coast 3 Ghana 1

TOURNAMENT favourites Ivory Coast were held to a goalless draw by a stubborn Burkina Faso in their opening African Nations Cup Group B match at the Estadio do Cabinda last night.

JOHN MORLING’S Republic of Ireland U16 team were denied victory by a late Israel equaliser in their friendly international in Ra’anana, southern Israel, yesterday.

TOGO’S Prime Minister Gilbert Huongbo has denied his country wants to re-enter the Africa Cup of Nations.

MARCO Tardelli has ruled Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni out of contention for the vacant Turkey job.

ITALY international defender Giorgio Chiellini looks certain to stay with Juventus despite attracting interest from Manchester City and Manchester United.

BAYERN MUNICH will listen to offers for Chelsea-target Franck Ribery after it emerged that the French star has ruled out signing a contract extension with the German giants.