The talk has been all about Dundalk on the brink of making history but, actually, full-back Dane Massey has been in precisely this place before: that is to say, at Lansdowne Road for the first of two games which might have propelled Irish football into the group stages of the Champions League.

Republic of Ireland 5 Czech Republic 2: The scoresheet told the feel-good story, the team sheets the political one.

There was a time when Liam Miller wondered if hailing from Cork would hold him back and block his path to becoming a Republic of Ireland international.

Keeping things in perspective is what Fran Gavin does. Charged with running the SSE Airtricity League, he has mastered the art of standing back and looking at the big picture.

Eleven years on from digesting the words of rejection from Martin O’Neill, Michael Doyle stands on the cusp of becoming the first Irish FA Cup final captain since 2008.

Ireland U16 1 Germany U16 0

Ireland U16 2 Estonia U16 0

Shelbourne 3 Cherry Orchard 2

Sligo Rovers moved nine points clear at the top of the Premier Division table with a 0-0 draw at St. Patrick's Athletic.

The glamour tie of the FAI Ford Cup third round pits Shamrock Rovers against Cork City in front of the RTÉ television cameras in Tallaght this evening, with an early kick off of 7.05pm.

Cherry Orchard caused the shock of the round as goals from Philip Sheppard and Alan Caul dumped First Division leaders — and two-time winners — Longford Town out of the cup at Frank Cooke Park.

Leinster senior league side Cherry Orchard caused the shock of the FAI Ford Cup second round with a 2-0 win over Longford Town.

Munster Senior League duo Douglas Hall and Everton will be seeking to upset Airtricity League opposition in their FAI Ford Cup second round ties tomorrow.

Munster Senior League champions Avondale United are favourites to lift a fifth FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup when they meet Cherry Orchard in a repeat of last year’s final at Tallaght Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

Avondale United celebrated winning the Munster Senior League Premier Division title in style by qualifying for the second round of the FAI Ford Senior Cup with a 3-1 victory over Sheriff YC at Avondale Park yesterday.

Ireland’s U17s are playing catch-up already to reach the European Championships following defeat to Serbia in yesterday’s opening elite stage qualifier.

Ireland U15s were twice pegged back yesterday by Belgium in Killarney as they drew 3-3 in the second of this week’s double-header.

Runaway Munster Senior League leaders Avondale United got the home draw they wanted in the FAI Ford Cup, first round — but they’ll still be up against it when they meet Dublin side Sheriff YC, who have an added incentive to do well in the Blue Riband this year.

The Ireland Under-15s staged a second-half comeback last night in Killarney to clinch a draw against Belgium.

Aston Villa’s tyro Jack Grealish scored his fourth goal in five matches for the Ireland Under-17s last night as they completed their Algarve training week with a second win.

Shamrock Rovers will be hoping to stay clear at the top of the table as they face a tricky away trip against UCD at the UCD Bowl tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

CHAMPIONS Shamrock Rovers, two points clear at the top of the Airtricity Premier Division table and with a match in hand over second-placed Sligo Rovers, will be hoping to stretch their lead at the top when they take on UCD at the Belfield Bowl tonight (7.45).

Cherry Orchard 1 UCD 2

UCD face a tricky Cup opener as they take on non-league Cherry Orchard at the UCD Bowl, kick-off 7.45pm.

THE hiding-to-nothing prospect of facing non-league opposition on the back of four straight defeats is scarcely ideal for UCD in tonight’s FA Ford Cup clash.

GALWAY UNITED’S visit to Dundalk will be only all-Premier League tie in the Ford FAI Cup third round after the draw was made last night.

FAI Ford Cup third-round draw:

Avondale United1 Cherry Orchard 0 (after extra-time)

THE black adidas top with the Liver bird on the chest betrays Avondale United player-manager John Cotter’s ‘other’ footballing allegiance.

STOKE CITY’S FA Cup heroes Jon Walters and Glenn Whelan have helped the Potteries club make a mockery of their long-ball label this season — now the Ireland duo are aiming to carry their domestic form onto the international stage.

AVONDALE UNITED face the daunting task of trying to derail Crumlin United’s bid for three-in-a-row FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup titles in tomorrow’s semi-final at Pearse Park, Crumlin (1pm).

FAI President Paddy McCaul and 1992 cup-winning captain Paul Whelan this evening made the draw for the 2011 FAI Ford Senior Cup first and second rounds at FAI headquarters in Abbotstown.

KEVIN DOYLE, Richard Dunne and John O’Shea are the contenders for the 3/FAI Senior International Player of the Year award at a gala ceremony in Dublin on February 6.

VETERAN goalkeeper Eddie Hickey emerged as the penalty shoot-out hero for Fairview Rangers as the Limerick outfit captured the Umbro FAI Junior Cup for a record eighth time yesterday.

A young man who turned to drugs following the suicide of three of his friends in a short period of time faces a possible ten year sentence after being caught transporting almost half a million euro of cocaine to repay a debt.

FLEDGING Cork club Cork City Foras Co-op suffered a triple blow on the playing front yesterday but were later boosted by the news of three new sponsorship deals.

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.

CORK CITY’S trip to Sligo Rovers is one of three FAI Ford Cup third round replays down for decision tonight (The Showgrounds, 7.45).

SHAMROCK ROVERS mark another milestone in a new era for the club this evening when the all-time specialists in the competition host their first FAI Cup game at Tallaght Stadium, with Drogheda United providing the opposition (kick off 7pm).

The draw for the third round of the FAI Ford Cup has been made tonight.

CORK’S stranglehold on the FAI Intermediate Cup ended yesterday when the last remaining Munster Senior League club in the competition, Rockmount, bowed out in the last four.

SECTARIAN thugs who attacked a group of Dublin children at an international soccer tournament in the north also threatened to kneecap officials, it was revealed.