As World Cup qualification reaches the business end we look at how things stand in every group. 

Munster Hockey bosses hope the success of the recent Eurohockey U18 Championships in Cork will help grow the profile of the sport in the province.

None of Ireland’s group opponents at Euro 2016 won their respective friendlies last night. It was a particularly chastening night for Italy as the Azzurri lost 4-1 against world champions Germany in Munich.

Michael Kennedy earned his 50th cap with the Irish lacrosse team at the 2015 World Indoor Championships. He also serves as CEO of Ireland Lacrosse, which is seeking official Sport Ireland recognition for the sport...

Wales are poised to end their 58-year wait to play at a major tournament after Gareth Bale’s late winner on a balmy night in Nicosia.

The Republic of Ireland U19 side suffered a heart-breaking loss to hosts Germany in their UEFA U19 Championships Elite Qualifying Round encounter in Sandhausen today.

Get a taste of some of the interesting and quirky happenings in Europe from our Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill.

The Netherlands’ World Cup hangover continues to linger and they remain off the pace in their bid to qualify for Euro 2016, after a 2-0 loss in Iceland.

Poland 2 Germany 0

Holland came from behind to beat Kazakhstan 3-1 at the Amsterdam ArenA and get their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign up and running.

UEFA president Michel Platini’s vision of a European Championship spread across the continent came to fruition in Geneva yesterday, as Wembley Stadium was chosen to host the climax of Euro 2020 with 12 other cities — including Dublin — joining the party.

Gareth Bale spared Wales blushes when his stunning free-kick late helped his side overcame tiny Andorra in their Euro 2016 Group B qualification opener.

The diplomat who was president of the UN Security Council in April 1994 apologised today for the council’s refusal to recognise that genocide was taking place in Rwanda and for doing nothing to halt the slaughter of more than one million people.

Today is EU equal pay day and it is being highlighted that women in the Ireland are earning more than a tenth less than men doing the same work.

Ireland U19s 1 Czech Rep U19s 1

When his back was against the wall scrambling for reasons to insist he was the right man for the job, Giovanni Trapattoni, pointed towards the convoluted rankings table.

Some children who were trafficked into and within the country may still be in vulnerable situations due to a lack of follow-up monitoring, according to a new report.

Ireland may have nothing to play for in tonight’s closing Group C game against Italy but they certainly have something to fight against.

Frantisek Smuda, the Poland coach, stares out from the front cover of the current Polish version of Newsweek, a look of impressive resolution on his face.

Polish head coach Franciszek Smuda admits the pressure of opening the tournament on home soil took its toll on his players.

Polish head coach Franciszek Smuda admits the pressure of opening the tournament on home soil took its toll on his players.

Frantisek Smuda, the Poland coach, stares out from the front cover of the current Polish version of Newsweek, a look of impressive resolution on his face.

It would seem curious to tear up a four-year plan at the 11th hour, but in light of Trap’s long-held determination to Do A Greece, his admission that Ireland might change tactics during this next nine days shouldn’t be too surprising.

He’s short, left-footed, prodigiously gifted and selected his club because they agreed to pay for the growth hormone treatment he needed. The description of Ioannis Fetfatzidis as “the Greek Messi” is both understandable and apt.

The Republic of Ireland have moved up one to 19th in the latest FIFA rankings following last week’s draw with the Czech Republic.

Giovanni Trapattoni was a satisfied man after seeing his Republic of Ireland team fight back to claim a hard-fought draw with the Czech Republic.

Republic of Ireland 1 Czech Republic 1

Republic of Ireland new boys James McClean and Shane Duffy will have to wait for their chance after manager Giovanni Trapattoni kept faith with his big names for tomorrow night’s friendly against the Czech Republic.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky were included in the Czech Republic squad for next week’s friendly against Ireland.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has promised James McClean he has an international future despite missing out on a first senior call-up today.

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni looks set to be spared a potential selection headache when he names his squad for the upcoming friendly against the Czech Republic on Friday.

All EU states except Britain moved toward setting up a new treaty yesterday, giving up crucial powers over their own budgets in an attempt to overcome a crippling debt crisis.

The leaders of 23 European countries moved to tie their economies much closer together in a bid to shore up the euro, but failed to get Britain and the four other EU members to join in.

Republic of Ireland striker Noel Hunt would love a chance to play against England in the Euro 2012 Championships next summer, according to Waterford radio station Beat 102-103FM.

The Republic of Ireland are in the fourth group of seeds for the Euro 2012 finals draw, UEFA confirmed today.

The Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic will be the seeded teams in tomorrow’s draw for the Euro 2012 play-offs, UEFA have announced.

NIGEL WORTHINGTON will step down as Northern Ireland manager after tonight’s match against Italy after admitting recent results had left him no option.

ENGLAND produced a nightmare last-gasp collapse to lose to the Czech Republic and crash out of the European U21 Championship last night.

THE IRISH U19s avoided the big guns in yesterday’s UEFA finals draw when they were pitted against hosts Romania, Greece and Czech Republic for the showpiece to be contested from July 20-August 1.

MANCHESTER CITY emphasised their Europa League credentials hitting the goal trail against Salzburg, with Italian starlet Mario Balotelli scoring twice to ease the Blues to victory.

Czech Republic 1 Scotland 0

Britain’s annual road deaths tally is the lowest out of 33 countries surveyed by an international transport watchdog which has declared the last 10 years “a record decade for road safety”.

FOUR months after Thierry Henry’s ‘Hand of Gaul’ ended Ireland’s World Cup dreams, France return to international action against Spain tonight (8pm) with a recall for another enfant terrible.