Celtic have been hit with a 12th UEFA fine in the space of six years with the total bill up to about £170,000.

This weekend brings the anniversary the first playing of soccer in Ireland — or so the story goes, writes Paul Rouse.

Northern Ireland 0 Republic of Ireland 2: Megan Campbell starred for Ireland last night as they easily overcame Northern Ireland in Lurgan to begin their 2019 World Cup quest with victory.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill saw Liam Boyce go from last summer's odd man out to this June's headline act.

From ‘oh, danger here’ to ‘the nation holds its breath’, the words of RTÉ commentator George Hamilton have become part of Irish football folklore. LIAM MACKEY meets the man behind the mic

In the wake of yesterday’s Tyrone-Kerry match in Omagh, a friend explained the rationale of the need for change in sport and sporting management. "I like ham sandwiches but I don’t want them every day", he said.

UEFA’s disciplinary panel has taken action against three clubs following racist incidents during the qualifying rounds for this season’s Champions League.

St Patrick's will face either Celtic or KR Reykjavik in the Champions League third qualifying round if they come through their second-round tie against Legia Warsaw.

St Patrick’s Athletic fans face a trip to Poland as they were drawn against Legia Warsaw in the Second Qualifying round of the Champions League today.

A boy from Northern Ireland whose battle against cancer captured the hearts of thousands and united a community has died.

As Sligo Rovers and Dundalk prepare to contest the 2014 Setanta Cup final in Tallaght next Saturday, organisers of the competition are in discussions with clubs about proposals to radically revamp next year’s competition.

Milo Corcoran, chairman of the Setanta Sports Cup organising committee, is adamant the cross-border competition has a future after its 11th hour reprieve.

After arriving in a blaze of fanfare as a potential precursor to an All-Ireland League in 2005, yesterday’s announcement of the 2014 Setanta Sports Cup was delivered amid its latest setback.

Neil Lennon admits his bid to prevent Mo Bangura lining up against Celtic for Elfsborg in tonight’s Champions League third qualifier at Parkhead (kick-off 7.45pm) has almost certainly been in vain.

Celtic have put the Green Brigade on a final warning after UEFA opened an investigation into the “setting off of fireworks” at Tuesday night’s home Champions League second qualifier against Cliftonville.

Celtic have accepted a bid for striker Gary Hooper from QPR, according to reports.

Celtic 2 Cliftonville 0 (Celtic win 5-0 on Agg)

Celtic 2 Cliftonville 0 (Agg: 5-0)

Celtic manager Neil Lennon will continue to utilise the services of star striker Gary Hooper while the future of the club’s top striker remains unresolved.

Brentford 1 Celtic 2

Celtic will face Swedish side Elfsborg or Daugava Daugavpils of Latvia in the third qualifying round of the Champions League should they progress in the competition.

Goals from Mikael Lustig, Georgios Samaras and James Forrest gave Celtic a comfortable win over Cliftonville and ensured there is little chance of an upset when the Irish League side travel to Parkhead next week for the second leg of their Champions League second round qualifier.

Goals from Mikael Lustig, Georgios Samaras and James Forrest gave Celtic a comfortable win over Cliftonville tonight.

Georgios Samaras is less than enthused about the prospect of playing on Solitude’s plastic pitch when Celtic take on Cliftonville in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier tonight.

Celtic’s defensive injury crisis ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Cliftonville at Solitude tonight (kick-off 7:45pm) has led to an early recall to action for Efe Ambrose.

Neil Lennon is hoping Celtic’s Champions League qualifier against Cliftonville in north Belfast tomorrow night goes off without a hitch.

Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby has confirmed the club received an improved bid from QPR for striker Gary Hooper last night.

Jim McGuinness has paid tribute to his Celtic bosses Neil Lennon and Dermot Desmond for allowing him time to focus on Donegal’s push for a three-in-a-row.

Celtic fans’ favourite Henrik Larsson hopes to return to Parkhead to play in a legends charity match.

Champions League fever in Sligo means there are now only 700 tickets left for sale for home fans for their second qualifying round first leg game against Norwegian champions Molde which, the club have confirmed, will take place on Wednesday, July 17 at the Showgrounds.

Having put a stop to Sligo Rovers’ Airtricity League Premier Division gallop with an impressive 2-0 win, third-placed St Patrick’s Athletic now turn their attention to trying to put an end to Derry City’s fine run of eight league games unbeaten, as the two sides prepare to meet at Richmond Park this evening (kick-off 7.45pm).

Cork Church of Ireland showed they could be a dark horse for this year’s Irish Hockey League by routing Glenanne 4-1 at Garryduff on Saturday.

Ireland’s premier hockey league gets a new lease of life this weekend after undergoing some major structural changes.

Cork City 1 Crusaders 0

Cork City 1 Crusaders 0

Setanta Cup holders Crusaders visit Turner’s Cross tonight to take on Cork City in the quarter-final first leg of this year’s competition (kick off 7.45pm).

Ciaran Kilduff proved Shamrock Rovers’ supersub with a dramatic stoppage time winner as they beat Coleraine 2-0 at the Showgrounds for a 2-1 aggregate victory to set up a cracking Setanta Sports Cup quarter-final tie with Linfield.

Even though he concedes Cliftonville’s strategically weakened side “weren’t the team that’s dominating the North,” Tommy Dunne declared himself very pleased with Cork City’s 4-0 trouncing of the Irish League leaders in their Setanta Cup first-leg game at Turner’s Cross on Monday night.

Cork City 4 Cliftonville 0

Cork City delighted Turner's Cross as they hammered runaway Irish League leaders Cliftonville 4-0 in the pick of last night's Setanta Sports Cup first round, first leg clashes as the cross-border competition got under way.

Cork City make their return to the Setanta Cup at Turner’s Cross this evening, with Danske Bank Premiership leaders Cliftonville travelling south, and the Leesiders’ new captain Kevin Murray insists the hosts will be not be holding anything back despite it being their first competitive outing of the year.

Pre-season games in early February don’t usually whet the appetite for fans of the domestic game, but Cork City are expecting a crowd of over 2,000 to pass through the gates when they entertain a Leeds United selection at Turner’s Cross tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Put it down to guilty conscience.