Bohemians produced an extraordinary comeback at Dalymount Park last night to progress into the second round of the FAI Cup.

With Shamrock Rovers not in action against Sligo Rovers until tomorrow, Dundalk will see their game in hand at home to Derry City tonight as an opportunity to close within a point of leaders.

It was an evening of upsets in the First Division last night as Cobh Ramblers sunk Shelbourne and Wexford prevailed against Bray Wanderers.

Shelbourne’s women’s team are dropping the name ‘Ladies’ from their name and, having previously played at the AUL Complex, will now play all their home games at Tolka Park.

With one hand already on the title, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny is determined to complete the job against St Patrick’s Athletic at Oriel Park tonight (7.45pm, live on RTÉ2).

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley has played down his simmering feud with John Caulfield, saying he respects Cork City and that the club will be deserving league champions.

Three second-half goals for Shamrock Rovers were enough for the Hoops to get by Shelbourne at Tolka Park in the FAI Cup.

With Cork City and Bray facing off this evening, Dundalk know a draw at Turner’s Cross would, if they can beat Galway United, see the champions close the gap on the leaders and make second place their own in the Premier Division.

It's the opening night of the new League of Ireland season.

Liam Mackey looks ahead to the President’s Cup final and the ’New Firm’ rivalry between Dundalk and Cork City.

A good portion of the Cork City squad which will arrive at the Aviva tomorrow for the FAI Cup final will have finished in the runner-up position in the league for the third year in a row.

It appears not just the Association has learned lessons from last season’s FAI Women’s Cup final as Shelbourne intend righting the wrongs of their defeat to Wexford when the teams meet again tomorrow. 

Finbarr Flood was a safe pair of hands on and off the pitch, writes Liam Mackey 

Wes Hoolahan has been there before. Scoot back almost a dozen years and the Dubliner was an integral part of a superb Shelbourne side at the fag end of, what was at the time, the greatest European odyssey any Irish club had known.

Where does this Dundalk side rank in the pantheon?

Former Shelbourne Red Adam McDonnell could be about to face Manchester’s famous Reds of United after the young midfielder finally took his belated first bow for Ipswich Town in their 4-1 League Cup win at Doncaster on Tuesday night.

Back in 1990, when I’d just started out on the full-time football-writing beat, I happened to find myself in the old FAI headquarters on Merrion Square one evening in the company of various officials, guests and media folk.

Shelmaliers 3-8 St. Anne’s 1-11

Despite being little over 30 years old, tonight’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division decider against Dundalk will be the fourth time that Cork City have taken part in a final-day battle for a title.

St. Anne’s 1-10 Shelmaliers 0-13

Jack Grealish has pulled out of Noel King’s Ireland U21 squad for Thursday’s friendly against Norway (6pm Irish time) — hours after England U21 boss Gareth Southgate confirmed he still wants the Aston Villa man to declare for the Three Lions.

Reigning champions Oulart-the-Ballagh powered their way to a comfortable 4-15 to 2-14 victory over Rathnure in their Wexford SHC clash at St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Saturday.

Following a first drawn game at Richmond Park and then a replay at Tolka Park which had to be abandoned due to floodlight failure, Shelbourne and St. Patrick’s Athletic will be looking to settle the issue at the third attempt when they meet in their rescheduled FAI Ford Cup third round game tie at Tolka Park tonight (kick off 8pm).

Finn Harps 1 Waterford United 0, First Division

Former Shelbourne manager Dermot Keely has branded fans that went to last week’s friendly between Shamrock Rovers and Liverpool at the Avivia Stadium to support the English side as “morons”.

The bookmakers price them a staggering 18/1 to win but Athlone manager Mick Cooke believes his side can cause an upset as they visit reigning champions St Patrick’s Athletic tonight.

Shay Given has just one week to secure his future at Middlesbrough.

Limerick FC 1 Shelbourne 0

John Tubritt guided Fethard to a seven point victory (3-7 to 0-9) over Sarsfields in the Wexford SFC semi-final at Wexford Park yesterday.

AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION:

Oulart-the-Ballagh 0-17 Shelmaliers 0-10

St. Patrick's Athletic came from a goal down to beat UCD 3-1 at the UCD Bowl to leave themselves within touching distance of an eighth league title and their first since 1999.

Joint league leaders St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk meet in a top-of-the-table clash at Richmond Park this evening which will screened live on RTÉ2 (kick-off 7.30pm).

We few, we sorry few, who were in attendance at Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday night won’t be mourning the passing of the August friendly, as FIFA prepare to launch their brave new world of ‘bundled’ internationals.

Injury might have robbed Giovanni Trapattoni of the chance to treat tonight’s game in Cardiff as a full-blown dress rehearsal for the World Cup qualifiers but, by selecting Wes Hoolahan to play behind Shane Long in a 4-4-1-1 formation, the Ireland manager is hoping to test-run an alternative system for facing Sweden in Dublin next month.

Conan Byrne scored four times as St. Patrick's Athletic got back to winning ways to stun nine-man Shamrock Rovers 4-0 at Tallaght Stadium to maintain their one-point lead at the top of the Premier Division table.

Bray Wanderers 1 Shelbourne 1

Dean Kelly scored for the second match running as Shelbourne extended their unbeaten league run to five games.