Graham Burke is adamant that he can satisfy his international ambitions at Shamrock Rovers but it remains to be seen if he will stay long-term with the Dublin club or return to Preston North End to complete his contract there.

Having left his seat in Tallaght just before the winning strike, the Ireland manager says he had already seen enough of the midfielder’s performance to give him “plenty to think about” as he ponders his squad for the Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia.

Mamma mia! “Large public events might be cancelled,” Britain’s health secretary glumly admitted to a brow-furrowed interviewer on Sunday morning, as various worst-case coronavirus scenarios were put to him. Every United fan in the country will have immediately had the same thought: “What?"

Cork City chairman Declan Carey says that he sees Turners Cross remaining the club’s home well into the future, after it was confirmed that the potential sale of the ground to the company which owns Preston North End will be on the agenda when the Munster Football Association meets next month.

While it had been reported that a takeover would effectively be Preston subsuming City, who would become a feeder club, members were told that it is an offer from Trevor Hemmings in a personal capacity.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire: after losing their opening game at home to promoted Shelbourne last week, Cork City tomorrow night face the daunting task of taking on FAI Cup-winners and predicted title contenders Shamrock Rovers in the new-look side’s their first away test of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season.

Cork City boss Neale Fenn insists his focus is solely on onfield matters with the manager revealing that he is not involved in the talks about Preston North End's role in the club.

Mick McCarthy will keep the door open for James McClean to recover in time for the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off.

Former St Johnstone striker Graham Cummins describes the demoralising day he was marked by then Celtic centre-half Virgil van Dijk.

Cork City could be in a line for a welcome windfall if negotiations with Preston North End about a partnership reach a successful conclusion.

“I can’t wait to be enjoying my football again.”

The Cork teenager put three past Preston in a 4-2 win just three days after making his Premier League debut.

Norwich's injury crisis up front could leave the Corkman in the frame to start against Manchester United the following Saturday.

Cork singer Caludia Rose Long and Republic of Ireland footballer Sean Maguire are celebrating their Christmas engagement.

Five and a half years ago, then-Preston striker Graham Cummins and his wife woke to officers from Britain's National Crime Agency hammering at their front door.

Alan Browne was left “gutted” after the Republic of Ireland’s hopes of clinching automatic qualification for the Euro 2020 finals slipped away in agonising style.

Paul Dowling assesses the performances of Ireland's players in the 1-1 draw with Denmark.

Matt Doherty’s late header was not enough to send the Republic of Ireland to the Euro 2020 finals as they came up just short in a tense encounter with old foes Denmark.

Browne's inclusion in the starting team for last Thursday's friendly against New Zealand appeared to rule him out of the running.

Graham Cummins has left Cork City after the completion of his contract, as the club announced two signings from their Under-19 ranks.

Stoke sacked Nathan Jones on Friday and radio reports said that Alex Neil, who has turned Preston into Sky Bet Championship promotion candidates, is their number one managerial target.

Player ratings with Paul Dowling

Sean Maguire has endured more than his fair share of all-too-familiar injury woes in recent years, so absolutely the very last thing he needed, days before Ireland hosted Switzerland in Dublin in early September, was something described by Preston manager Alex Neil as “the most bizarre injury I’ve ever seen.”

The uninvited viewers arrived over the hill wearing school bags and uniforms.

Leeds’ Achilles heel hurt them once more as the Sky Bet Championship leaders were held 1-1 at home by Derby.

A look at the Republic of Ireland's player performances against Bulgaria tonight.

Roy Keane has reignited a war of words with his former boss, Alex Ferguson, and questioned the almost unanimous praise which is heaped on the Scot.

While Mick McCarthy is always prepared to cut a little slack for a couple of his more experienced and established names, the manager has never sought to minimise the weight he attaches to the general requirement that, in order to play for their country, his players really need to be playing for their clubs.

Sean Maguire is set to miss Ireland's Euro 2020 qualifier against Switzerland.

Wayne Routledge scored a last-minute winner as Swansea edged their top-of-the-table clash with Leeds at Elland Road.

An historic, record-breaking night for Shamrock Rovers as they finally got the result they’ve craved over Bohemians.

Mick McCarthy is considering delaying a decision on the make-up of his final squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifier against Switzerland and the friendly against Bulgaria, amid concerns about the impact of injuries and the amount of game-time some of those in contention are getting with their clubs.

The striker, on loan from Arsenal, struck just four minutes after his introduction as a 77th-minute substitute.

Gardaí in Cork are investigating separate acts of random vandalism - one in which all 88 greenway spotlights were ‘irreparably’ damaged in a drill attack and the other which caused some €2,000 damage to dugouts at a soccer club which has produced a Champions League-winning goalkeeper.

The draw was made after completion of 33 first-round fixtures last night and includes all the top-flight clubs who are not involved in European competitions.

Limerickman Paudie O’Connor could make his Bradford return against Preston in the Carabao Cup tonight.

Promotion favourites Fulham suffered a blast of Championship reality with a shock opening-weekend 1-0 loss at Barnsley.

It’s Thursday afternoon when I reach him on the phone, and Sean Maguire, just “chilling out” on a last day of rest before starting to climb the Championship mountain with Preston North End again, is reflecting on how Deepdale is no longer such a deep shade of green.

He may indeed relish the heat, but Dan Carr knows it’s all about Shamrock Rovers keeping cool heads in sweltering Nicosia tonight.

The deal is until July next year.

Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has said teenager Troy Parrott is a "shoo-in" for a call up to the senior squad if he remains involved with the Tottenham first-team at the start of the season.

Mick McCarthy will favour a ‘play to play’ policy when it comes to choosing his team for the resumption of the European Championship campaign in September when Switzerland come to town..

The dream beforehand had been of a box-office clash with Rangers but the reality, on an evening when Cork City repeatedly pressed the self-destruct button, was something more like a nightmare as, after a first half in which the home side conceded two goals and also missed a penalty, the resultant 0-2 defeat gives Progres Niederkorn what looks like full control of this Europa League First Qualifying Round tie ahead of next week’s second leg in Luxembourg.

Newly-promoted Sheffield United are closing on a €6.6m move for Ireland international striker Callum Robinson.