Veteran industrial relations negotiator Peter McLoone will mediate talks between the FAI and Siptu on August 9 to try avoid a full Labour Court hearing on a staff pay claim.

The FAI’s Under-15 national league will kick off in August and will be followed in the near future by an Under-13 equivalent, according to John Delaney.

Republic of Ireland 0 Germany 7 (Uefa U17 Championship finals): Ireland boss Colin O’Brien is certain his side can improve for Saturday’s Euro quarter-final against England after getting what he admitted was a “second chance” in Croatia.

Embracing history but charting a new path is the message for Ireland’s U17s hopefuls from their manager Colin O’Brien as they begin their Euro finals odyssey against Serbia in Croatia today.

We have a look back at the transfer window, including the strangest piece of business and the potential dark horses...

Some walls even Robbie Brady can’t find a way past.

A trip round the primary school circuit lately, to see would anyone take the twins, pulled my handbrake on a Dunphian u-turn.

Republic of Ireland 5 Czech Republic 2: The scoresheet told the feel-good story, the team sheets the political one.

Liam Brady’s dose of realism amid the current euphoria surrounding the European Championship-bound senior team is a timely reminder of the ticking time bomb for Irish football.

Paramedics were unable to save the life of teenage soccer player Shetemi Ayetigbo who collapsed and died during a match in Dublin on Sunday.

A teenage boy died while playing in an U16 football match yesterday.

Limerick hurling’s bright young star Cian Lynch is capable of rolling with the punches at senior level, according to his Patrickswell club-mate Gary Kirby.

Liam Brady has warned that the lack of young football talent coming through from Ireland is "scary".

Keeping things in perspective is what Fran Gavin does. Charged with running the SSE Airtricity League, he has mastered the art of standing back and looking at the big picture.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has introduced an Irish dimension to his vision for the club by personally involving himself in the successful pursuit of 14-year-old Dubliner Glen McAuley.

Republic of Ireland 2 Northern Ireland 0

Ireland U16 1 Germany U16 0

Pre-season games in early February don’t usually whet the appetite for fans of the domestic game, but Cork City are expecting a crowd of over 2,000 to pass through the gates when they entertain a Leeds United selection at Turner’s Cross tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Robbie Brady says his circle with boyhood team-mate Jeff Hendrick will be complete tomorrow night should the pair feature for Ireland against Greece.

Ireland U16 2 Estonia U16 0

Republic of Ireland U17s 3 Azerbaijan 0

Cork came from behind to beat the DDSL in extra-time yesterday at Tolka Park and win their first FAI Inter-league Youths Cup since 1978.

Ireland U15s were twice pegged back yesterday by Belgium in Killarney as they drew 3-3 in the second of this week’s double-header.

ROBERT BRADY enjoyed a dream return to international duty as his stoppage-time goal from the penalty spot earned the Republic of Ireland a deserved victory over Austria in a gripping U21 International friendly at the Sligo Showgrounds yesterday.

DEFENDING champion Alan Dunbar hopes his batteries will be recharged when he tees it up at Royal Dublin this morning and takes on six of his fellow Walker Cup squad members in the Irish Amateur Open.

SUCH are the twists and turns of life that unheralded Skerries teenager Jeff Hopkins could easily be playing at centre half for the likes of Liverpool or Blackburn Rovers. Instead, a series of chronic injuries ended his dreams of a professional soccer career when he was just 14 years old.