ONE of the League of Ireland’s most familiar faces has decided to hang up his boots.

Liam Buckley has taken charge of St Patrick's Athletic today after the club decided not to renew Pete Mahon's contract.

SKIPPER Richie Ryan knows complacency is Sligo Rovers’ worst enemy as they bid to retain their FAI Ford Cup against Shelbourne at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.

AS IF to illustrate just how long they’ve been out of the big time of Irish domestic football, Alan Mathews was yesterday reminded the last time Shelbourne featured live on television was when they were winning the league back in 2006.

A RAINBOW appeared near Tallaght Stadium prior to kick-off last night.

THE signs bode well for Gary O’Neill on his arrival at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 2

CILLIAN MORRISON struck late to give UCD a victory they just about deserved against Mick Cooke’s new charges at Hunky Dory’s Park.

WHEN Cork City take on Wexford Youths at Turner’s Cross on Friday evening, it won’t just be the opening salvo for both clubs in the Airtricity League First Division season – it will also be a battle of the newly elected TDs.

GALWAY UNITED have formally appealed their denial of a league licence and have expressed confidence they will continue to play Premier Division football at Terryland Park.

THERE is life in Bohemians, but not as their recently spoilt supporters would have known it.

WHILE Drogheda United are celebrating an unlikely return to the top-flight just weeks after they flirted with extinction, huge uncertainty still surrounds the final make up of the Premier and First divisions of the Airtricity League with less than three weeks to go until the 2011 campaign kicks off.

FOLLOWING the cancelling of their players’ contracts on Wednesday, Sporting Fingal confirmed the inevitable last night when the club ceased trading and withdrew its licence application to the Airtricity League for the 2011 season.

Following on from the cancelling of their players’ contracts on Wednesday, Sporting Fingal confirmed the inevitable this evening when the club ceased trading and pulled out of the Airtricity League.

SPORTING FINGAL’S short history in the Airtricity League looks over after the club was forced to cancel the contracts of its entire squad yesterday.

SPORTING FINGAL are on the brink of collapse after the club cancelled all of its players’ contracts yesterday afternoon.

THE threat of a winding-up order against Bohemians is set to be lifted, with the news that a deal over unpaid wages is in the process of being agreed.

SLIGO ROVERS manager Paul Cook was last night named the Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Personality of the Year at a gala banquet in Dublin.

The First Round fixtures for the Setanta Sports Cup have been confirmed by the competition’s organising committee.

SHAMROCK ROVERS will begin the defence of their title with a home game against Dundalk on Friday, March 4.

THE Cockney Rebel is back at the Cross. Cork City have announced the return of Danny Murphy to the club where he won a league title in 2005.

Shamrock Rovers 0 Sligo Rovers 0 (aet) (Sligo win 2-0 on pens)

NO hype is required to sell tomorrow’s FAI Ford Cup final.

HAVING to miss last year’s FAI Ford Cup final through suspension got no better for Conor O’Grady.

Sporting Fingal 4 UCD 1

Sporting Fingal will secure their European qualification with victory over UCD at Morton Stadium tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

WITH two points in hand and a superior goal difference, a draw or even a defeat could still be enough to see Shamrock Rovers lift the Airtricity League of Ireland title at Bray Wanderers’ Carlisle Grounds tonight.

Dundalk 0 Sporting Fingal 2

Sporting Fingal will be looking for valuable points for European qualification when they take on Dundalk at Oriel Park tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

THE penultimate game of the season could land Bohemians the ultimate prize in domestic football.

UCD 0 Dundalk 2

Sporting Fingal 3 Galway United 1

Sporting Fingal v Galway United

BOHEMIANS, still very much in the hunt for the coveted league and cup double, will start as slight favourites to reach the FAI Ford Cup final at the Aviva Stadium on November 14 when they play host to in-form Sligo Rovers in tonight’s semi-final at Dalymount Park (8.05 pm).

BOHEMIANS’ hugely-significant victory against Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday means that the Airtricity Premier Division title can’t be decided today – but it could be decided next Friday if the Hoops can extend their two-point lead over the old rivals with three games to go.

Sporting Fingal 2 St. Patrick’s Athletic 2

Sporting Fingal and St Patrick's Athletic battle it out in the race for third place at Morton Stadium this afternoon, kick-off 1pm.

The Republic of Ireland Under-23s boosted their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the International Challenge Trophy with a well deserved 1-0 win over Estonia in Tallinn last night.

HAVING hit Galway United for six in the cup, Shamrock Rovers should now fancy their chances of making it a six-point lead at the top of the Airtricity Premier Division when they again host the Tribesmen at Tallaght Stadium tonight (8pm).

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC boss Pete Mahon has kept alive the dream that the men from Inchicore can win the FAI Cup for the first time in 49 years with a 3-1 victory over holders Sporting Fingal in Saturday’s quarter-final at Richmond Park.

St Pats Ath 3 Sporting Fingal 1

Cup holders Sporting Fingal travel to Richmond Park to take on St Patrick’s Athletic for a place in the semi-final of the FAI Ford Cup, kick-off 1pm.

BOTH an FAI Ford Cup quarter-final and a full dress rehearsal for the EA Sports final, there’s a lot riding on this evening’s game at the Showgrounds between Sligo Rovers and Monaghan (7.45pm).

Sporting Fingal 2 Bray Wanderers 2