Irish players also scored for QPR and Sheffield United.

In early January I received a hand-drawn map of the Drinagh bowling road in West Cork.

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane faces at least six weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Leicester became the first team in English football to score a goal via a VAR decision.

Cardiff maintained their 100% start to stay top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-0 home win over Sheffield United, but Aston Villa dropped into the relegation zone after losing at Reading.

Former Ireland boss Mick McCarthy endured a disappointing 25th anniversary in management, as his Ipswich side were comfortably beaten 3-1 at Cardiff City on Saturday and he admitted afterwards that the Blues are in a Championship relegation scrap.

Jamaal Lascelles rescued Newcastle with an 81st-minute equaliser as Rafael Benitez's men maintained their one-point lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-2 draw at Norwich.

Brighton stormed back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table with a 4-1 victory over struggling Burton.

David McGoldrick came off the bench to ease the pressure on Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy in Saturday’s Championship action.

Newcastle made it six straight wins in the Sky Bet Championship with a narrow 2-1 victory at Preston which maintained their cushion at the top of the table.

Eight unnamed managers with Premier League experience are alleged to have taken bribes for the transfers of players during secretly filmed interviews with several agents, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Goals from Anthony Pilkington and Joe Mason broke Huddersfield’s resistance on Saturday and lifted Cardiff to second in the Championship.

In-form Stephen Gleeson returned to haunt MK Dons on Saturday, scoring the opening goal as Birmingham maintained their unbeaten start to the season to climb to seventh in the Championship.

Arsenal have confirmed the departures of winger Ryo Miyaichi to German club St Pauli and defender Semi Ajayi to Cardiff.

Arsenal have confirmed the departures of winger Ryo Miyaichi to German club St Pauli and defender Semi Ajayi to Cardiff.

His first Ireland call-up may have cost Harry Arter the chance to relax in the Dubai sun, but the Bournemouth midfielder’s left foot wand could prove a potent weapon in Sunday’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland.

FA Cup — Saturday review: Though cast in the shadow of high-profile fallers at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad, there was another giant-killing of sorts at Ewood Park, where nine-man Swansea became the third Premier League side beaten by lower-league opposition, crashing out 3-1 to Blackburn.

League One Bradford served up one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history as they hit back from two goals down to beat Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

Swansea 3 Everton 0

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stepped down as manager of Cardiff, the Sky Bet Championship club have confirmed.

Crystal Palace 1 West Ham United 3

Malky Mackay issued a grovelling apology on Friday evening and vowed he would salvage his career – but hours later faced fresh allegations in the text message scandal.

Malky Mackay has apologised for the discriminatory text messages he sent during his time as manager of Cardiff.

Malky Mackay is ”very concerned about seriously inaccurate and misleading reports” in the media and has said he will fully co-operate with any Football Association investigation.

The Premier League season could have worked out differently, if not for a specific series of events. What if ...

Fernando Torres netted his first Barclays Premier League goal since January as Chelsea finished the campaign with a 2-1 victory at already-relegated Cardiff despite an abject showing.

Former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay has dropped his legal claim against the club after reaching a settlement on his sacking.

Sunderland 4 Cardiff 0

Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed a contentious first-half penalty for Stoke galvanised his players into the recovery act that could help secure Barclays Premier League survival.

Cardiff’s hopes of striding closer to Barclays Premier League survival suffered a setback as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were held to a dramatic 1-1 draw at home to Stoke.

Southampton 0 Cardiff 1

West Brom have played down claims of a dressing room bust-up in the wake of their dramatic Premier League draw with Cardiff.

West Brom have played down claims of a dressing room bust-up in the wake of their dramatic Barclays Premier League draw with Cardiff.

John Terry’s own goal blew the race for the Barclays Premier League title wide open once again as Crystal Palace snatched an unlikely lifeline.

Cardiff owner Vincent Tan has launched a staunch defence of his tenure in south Wales and believes he has been portrayed unfairly as a villain.

Cardiff 0 Hull 4

Signing for Shamrock Rovers is a homecoming in more ways than one for Stephen McPhail, representing not just a return to the country of his birth after 19 years in English football but also to the team he supported in his youth.

Cardiff City 1 Wigan Athletic 2

Cardiff striker Craig Bellamy will serve a three-match ban after accepting a Football Association charge of violent conduct.