For the past three seasons, the top of the Premier League has been a closed shop. While both Manchester United and Arsenal have recently dropped out of the Champions League places, so far their financial advantages and traditional pulling power for top players have kept their heads above water.

As part of the development plan put in place by Hull City following his transfer from Cork City last week, the 22-year-old centre back will link up with Jim Goodwin’s side until the end of January.

Cork City defender Conor McCarthy says it was "heartbreaking" to see Sean McLoughlin leave the club to move to English Championship side Hull City.

Cork City remain without a Premier Division win in their last seven, but there was nevertheless encouragement to be taken from a draw with second-placed Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross on Monday.

The oppressive heat and a wounded Apollon Limassol won’t faze Shamrock Rovers in next week’s Europa League return in Nicosia, insists veteran defender Joey O’Brien.

Cork City’s Seán McLoughlin has completed his move to English Championship side Hull City. The defender has signed on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Sean McLoughlin will be confirmed as a Hull City player by the end of this week player after the Championship club agreed a fee with Cork City for the in-demand defender.

Waterford FC’s former Republic of Ireland international central defender Damien Delaney today announced his retirement from football with immediate effect, having ‘lived the dream’ of a career in the professional game.

The PFA Team of the Season was dominated by Manchester City and Liverpool players (plus Paul Pogba). But Daniel Storey's selection spreads the recognition a shade wider.

Potential Ireland recruit Patrick Bamford continued his recent rich vein of form on Saturday, netting an early winner as promoting-chasing Leeds won 1-0 at Bristol City.

Against Leicester City on Sunday, Manchester United produced their worst performance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s short stewardship.

Will Keane has become the first of what Mick McCarthy hopes is a steady stream of Ireland recruits under his reign.

The English Championship is to the Premier League what Puma is to adidas. Well regarded in its own right — at last count the third most-watched league in Europe — it will always exist in the shadow of its bigger brother, writes Brendan O'Brien.

Who is the best fit for the role?

Conor Shaughnessy believes the Ireland U21 team can provide a much-needed lift to the Irish football scene when they face Germany in a crucial European qualifier tonight.

International football is these days resembling a transfer market and this time Martin O’Neill is nursing the bloody nose.

They hadn’t even put the cup in the front of the bus when John Meyler began sizing up Cork’s next assignment.

Former Cork City defender Brian Lenihan has revealed that the real reason he retired from football at the age of just 23 was the mental illness which led him to attempt to take his own life last year.

Of all the emotions Seamus Coleman has endured since his serious injury in March 2017, be it pain or loss, the one that’s lingered most is guilt.

The interview at the FAI training centre is almost over and David Meyler is already getting to his feet when someone remembers to mention the war.

In the tunnel underneath the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon moments before the 1967 European Cup final, Celtic’s players lined up alongside their opposition, Inter Milan.

All you need to know this lunchtime

Hull City player Brian Lenihan has announced his retirement from football at the age of just 23.

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.

Chelsea 1 Barcelona 1 

Declan Rice may have a decision to make on his international future after England boss Gareth Southgate revealed he was monitoring the Ireland U21 midfielder.

The overload on inter-county hurlers is a growing concern for managers John Meyler and Derek McGrath.

Watford 1 Tottenham 1: When one thinks of managerial spats in the Premier League, it is usually Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, or Pep Guardiola, but now we have a new contest on the cards: in the blue corner, Big Sam Allardyce, the heavyweight from Dudley, against Marco Silva, the Portuguese middleweight.

David Meyler was back training with the Republic of Ireland at Abbotstown this morning.

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

Where were you on the evening of November 18, 2014?

Advertising can be a tricky business. Events can pass you by, moods can swing to the extent that campaigns that looked to be a good idea at inception can appear dated even as the billboards are being fitted with the latest offerings.

Monday morning Quarterback - Daniel Storey

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK: Daniel Storey looks at what this weekend’s Premier League action thought us.

Hull breached Premier League ticketing rules last season by not offering concessionary prices to children and senior citizens in certain parts of the KCOM Stadium.

Extricating themselves from sticky situations has been the hallmark of the current Ireland regime and assistant manager Roy Keane set the tone on Tuesday night when confronted with the notion of this campaign going awry.

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

The loss of Phillippe Coutinho would not be as damaging to Liverpool as was the departure of Luis Saurez in 2014.

Say what you want about the quality of fare served up this summer, but where post-match interviews are concerned, GAA followers have been spoilt.

Accumulated profits at the marketing company owned by Irish international footballer Shane Long rose nearly €53,000 to €360,332 last year, new accounts show.

Burnley finished the season with four Irish starters: one of the few highlights for Irish players in the Premier League this season, says John Fallon 

It was truly a Gameweek like no other. Gameweek 37 was a wild ride, as the thrill of massive points totals was tempered with a pang of regret for most.