Daryl Horgan insists Dundalk can continue to go from strength to strength next season even if some of the club’s leading lights depart.

Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny felt his team defended poorly as they bowed out of the Europa League with a 2-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Netanya.

One defeat doesn’t define Dundalk’s remarkable season even if, with so much at stake, last night’s 2-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv is bound to leave Stephen Kenny and his players with an acute sense of deflation at the end of their European dream.

Stephen Kenny is determined to justify his selection as the Philips Sports Manager of the Year by guiding Dundalk into the last 32 of the Europa League tonight.

Ciaran Kilduff insists Dundalk’s European adventure isn’t over yet and is confident they can put their recent setback against AZ Alkmaar behind them by beating the Dutch side and Maccabi Tel Aviv to the runners-up spot in Group D of the Europa League tomorrow night.

After Dundalk had taken a giant step towards a third successive league title by beating Longford Town 3-0 on Monday night, Stephen Kenny surveyed a dressing room which resembled a field hospital more than a party zone, with players stretched out on benches nursing injuries or simply laid low by sheer fatigue, as a fourth game in 10 days took its toll.

Barely an hour after his team created yet more Irish football history by beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 in Group D of the Europa League in Tallaght on Thursday night, manager Stephen Kenny talked about how all at Dundalk remain “driven” in the quest to make this “an incredibly special season” for the club.

Dundalk made history in the Europa League after forward Ciaran Kilduff came off the bench to seal three points in a 1-0 win against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Serbia 2 Republic of Ireland 2: After Robbie Keane’s retirement, the big question was where would Ireland’s goals come from?

Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny says he has no regrets about missing out on glamour opposition as yesterday’s Europa League draw placed the Irish champions in a testing and long-haul group comprising Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg, Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv.

This afternoon, former Russia captain Andrey Arshavin put Kazakhstan side Kairat Almaty in front in their Europa League qualifier with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Fate has a way of setting up enticing Champions League encounters and Chelsea’s showdown against Porto tomorrow is up there with the best, writes David Shonfield.

Maccabi Tel Aviv 0 Chelsea 4: Chelsea’s Champions League fate will go to the final group game after a 4-0 win over 10-man Maccabi Tel Aviv earned successive victories for the first time in two months.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho issued a veiled swipe at Graeme Le Saux after insisting all of his players were happy to travel to Israel for tonight’s Champions League clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv, despite heightened security following the Paris terror attacks.

Arsenal must win their two remaining group games to stand any chance of progressing.

Chelsea 2 Arsenal 0: The latest chapter in the rivalry between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho was dominated by the debate about Diego Costa’s gamesmanship, but revealed more about the two managers and their respective teams, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not concern himself with whatever issues are facing rival boss Jose Mourinho at Chelsea when the two men go head-to-head again this afternoon.

It’s been a miserable start to the season for Chelsea but a win against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League this week has seen them instil a bit of confidence back into their play.

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Chelsea 4 Maccabi Tel Aviv 0: At last, something for Jose Mourinho to smile about. 

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The wonder, as they prepare to face Maccabi Tel Aviv, is whether it’s all getting to Chelsea’s heads. Jose Mourinho actually claimed his newly shorn scalp wasn’t the “war haircut” of 2006 as he came into his Champions League press conference with a new look, and initially tried to stay composed amid so many questions over his side’s dismal form. But it wasn’t long until he got combative — and very defensive.

Zlatan! Ronaldo! Messi!

The latest acting veteran who may have joined the cast of Game of Thrones is Richard E Grant, according to unconfirmed reports in the UK.

In light of yesterday’s Champions League draw, there might be good reason for optimism English clubs will survive the marathon of the group stage but rather less grounds for confidence in the notion they will still be in the race for Milan when the sprint section turns into the final straight.

Manchester City’s Champions League curse returned to haunt them yesterday after they were drawn with last season’s finalists Juventus and Europa League winners Seville for the group stage of the competition.

Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick spared Sunderland’s blushes as they defeated Exeter 6-3 in a thrilling Capital One Cup clash last night.

Rival football fans in Israel have brawled outside a courthouse dealing with supporters who had stormed a pitch and caused the abandonment of a top-flight derby match.

Hull’s first Europa League campaign ended in disappointment at the play-off stage after a vital away goal for Lokeren saw the Belgian side through at the KC Stadium last night — despite Ireland’s Robbie Brady’s best efforts.

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