Stephen Kenny saluted his Ireland U21 warriors for securing a draw against Mexico which puts them on the brink of reaching the Toulon Tournament semi-finals.

Stephen Kenny hailed his Ireland U21 side’s quickfire start in yesterday’s demolition of China.

The call-up will be a boost for Connell after his club, Bolton Wanderers, went into administration following their relegation from the Championship.

If ever a story sums up the utter madness of modern football it is the announcement, 24 hours after he and his children enjoyed a lap of honour at the Amex to celebrate staying in the Premier League, that Chris Hughton has been sacked by Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ireland manager Colin O’Brien is talking about the progress being made by Gavin Bazunu, the precocious goalkeeping talent who joined Manchester City from Shamrock Rovers earlier this year, when he offloads a timely reminder of the still tender years of all the players who are now busily gearing up to represent their country in the U17 European Championship finals which kick off in Dublin on Friday.

Manager Colin O’Brien is hoping for the green light from Spurs to allow Troy Parrott to join up with the Irish U17 squad ahead of the Euro Finals which kick off on Friday.

Former Brighton & Hove Albion player Dessie Hutchinson nailed a late free from 40 metres as Gailltir edged An Rinn 1-5 to 1-4 on a miserable Sunday afternoon in Kill.

Chris Hughton, one of the calmest and most under-stated managers in football, admits that even he will allow himself a leap of celebration if he can recreate a glorious memory of 1981 by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup at Wembley today.

Jayson Molumby’s U21 Republic of Ireland debut is a triumph of skill and will.

Shamrock Rovers midfielder Jack Byrne has received a last-minute call-up to replace the injured Callum O'Dowda in Mick McCarthy's first Republic of Ireland squad back in charge.

Mick McCarthy has named his Republic of Ireland squad for the EURO 2020 Qualifiers against Gibraltar and Georgia.

Also included is Aston Villa's Glenn Whelan, who was expected to have played his last game for Ireland after captaining the side in a 36-minute ceremonial cameo against Northern Ireland in November.

Midfielder Glenn Whelan will lead Ireland out as captain against Northern Ireland for what will be his 85th senior appearance. The Aston Villa man will not be part of the squad for the Denmark game.

U17 International Ireland 4 Turkey 1

Glenn Whelan will be given the honour of leading Ireland out against Northern Ireland in the friendly at the Aviva in November.

Norway 1 Ireland 0

After producing a couple of magic moments for Irish women’s football in their World Cup qualification campaign to date, Áine O’Gorman wants the team to deliver a meteoric one in the Norwegian coastal city of Stavanger this evening.

After the spotlight shining on the Ireland women’s team at the start of the campaign for unusual reasons, Diane Caldwell feels it only fitting the same should apply at the business end approaches.

Shane Duffy was named the FAI Senior Player of the Year for 2017 last night but the big Brighton defender was unable to collect his award in person as the weather took its toll on the annual televised ceremony in RTÉ, with the programme having to be shortened from a scheduled running time of 90 minutes to one hour.

In calling up Declan Rice to his squad for this month’s training camp and friendly in Turkey, Martin O’Neill has stressed that the highly-rated young West Ham defender, who is still eligible to play senior football for both Ireland and England, will not come under any pressure to decide his international future.

They may have survived some scares in Nijmegen last night but Ireland remain well in the mix to challenge for World Cup qualification after preventing the Netherlands from extending their winning run to 12 matches.

James McCarthy has been named in a 34-man Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup play-offs against Denmark.

One day short of the first year anniversary of their last competitive game, Ireland’s women’s team open the World Cup qualification quest tonight against neighbours Northern Ireland at Mourneview Park in Lurgan (7.30pm).

O'Neill selects a 25-man panel for two qualifiers against Georgia and Serbia.

Willie Mullins has had to shelve plans to send Cheltenham Festival winner Penhill to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.

It was a goal. It was a penalty. We were playing 12 men.

Megan Campbell has enjoyed some major football occasions during her blossoming career but the Ireland women’s international will forever savour her role in Manchester City’s FA Cup win last month.

Cork City goalkeepers Mark McNulty and Alan Smith are literally lending a helping hand to the Irish cause.

Republic of Ireland 0 Germany 7 (Uefa U17 Championship finals): Ireland boss Colin O’Brien is certain his side can improve for Saturday’s Euro quarter-final against England after getting what he admitted was a “second chance” in Croatia.

Embracing history but charting a new path is the message for Ireland’s U17s hopefuls from their manager Colin O’Brien as they begin their Euro finals odyssey against Serbia in Croatia today.

Colin Bell doesn’t quite go so far as to declare that the girls in green need to turn it up to 11 but, as a fan of Jurgen Klopp’s brand of ‘heavy metal football’, the new manager of the Irish women’s team certainly places a high value on intensity.

Ireland 0 Finland 2: Ireland’s women suffered an early Euro setback last night against Finland at Tallaght Stadium.

ANALYSIS of Ireland’s encouraging start to World Cup 2015 has to be put on temporary hold as a consequence of what Japan achieved in defeating the most experienced South African side ever fielded when the sides met at Brighton Community Stadium on Saturday.

With Gibraltar v Ireland on September 4 regarded by many – if not Martin O’Neill – as a foregone conclusion, there will almost be as much interest from Irish supporters in the Georgia v Scotland and Germany v Poland games which also take place in European Championship Group D on the same day.

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths and Dundee ‘keeper Scott Bain have been called up to the Scotland squad for their Euro 2016 qualifier against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on June 13.

FA Cup Fourth Round

Unlike her rivals for the Fifa Puskás Award, James Rodriguez and Robin van Persie, Ireland’s Stephanie Roche will be taking the rocky road to Zurich for the prize-giving ceremony on Monday week.

Chris Hughton is the new manager of Brighton after agreeing a three-and-a-half-year deal to replace Sami Hyypia.

Slovakia 0 Republic of Ireland 1

Phil Jones admits Manchester United are still learning Louis van Gaal’s new system but the defender believes their 100% record in pre-season shows they are ready for the new Premier League campaign to start.

Quirke with Gabriel Byrne debuts on RTÉ One, while Moone Boy makes a welcome return to Sky 1.

Republic of Ireland international striker Kevin Doyle is gearing up to spend the season in League One with Wolves, according to manager Kenny Jackett.

The president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, has waded into the Luis Suarez controversy and offered his full backing to the Liverpool forward for refusing to shake Patrice Evra’s hand before last week’s Premier League defeat at Manchester United.