THE quote of the week had to be Stephen Kenny describing the luminous moment in Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday night when Robbie Benson’s clinical finish found the back of the net, sealing Dundalk’s stunning 3-0 victory over BATE Borisov and taking the club to the giddy heights of a play-off for a place in the group stages of the Champions League.

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.

New community policing clinics will be set up next month in a busy part of Cork City which saw its garda station close last year.

“It was a while coming,” laughed Shane Long, referring to the nine-year wait for his first goal at Turner’s Cross. More importantly, Long’s strike in West Brom’s 6-0 rout of a weakened Cork City on Tuesday night was, the player hopes, a sign of things to come for him, as well as his club and country.

Shane Long returns to his point of departure this evening when West Bromwich Albion visit Leeside to play Cork City in a friendly game which will be both a little nostalgia trip for the Republic of Ireland striker and also another chance to impress his club boss on the eve of a new Premier League season.

CORK CITY remain unbeaten after they came from behind twice to draw with Roddy Collins’ Monaghan United in front of 2,006 spectators at Turner’s Cross last night.

NEWLY-ELECTED TDs Jonathan O’Brien and Mick Wallace were on opposite sides of the football divide in Turner’s Cross last night but it was Cork City who topped the poll, beating Wexford Youths with a goal before half-time from Vinny Sullivan, the striker who has returned from Waterford United for a second stint on the Lee.

THE ownership of eight Presentation Brothers’ schools has been taken over by a board of lay trustees. They include seven Cork schools.

DERRY CITY chairman Pat McDaid last night sensationally quit his post at the Brandywell and also leaving the club will be fellow directors Joe Doherty, Peter Leonard and Frank Houston.

FAI CHIEF John Delaney has flatly contradicted Roy Keane’s accusation that there is an anti-Cork bias underlying Liam Miller’s omission from the Irish squad.

CORK CITY rediscovered their scoring touch and reignited their Setanta Cup challenge with a four-goal salvo against Portadown at Turner’s Cross last evening.

Damien Richardson is set to be named as Cork City manager in succession to Pat Dolan today.

George O’Callaghan could make a return to the Cork City starting line-up as the Leesiders welcome Longford Town to Turner’s Cross tonight (7.45pm).

CORK CITY have injury concerns about the fitness of leading goal-scorer John O’Flynn who may be forced to miss tonight’s important eircom league tie against Bohemians at Dalymount Park.