League of Ireland: With leaders Dundalk not in action until tomorrow, Cork City and Shamrock Rovers will both be hoping to make at least temporary inroads into the champions’ lead in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division tonight.

Tonight’s SSE Airtricity League action is all on the east coast, with the main focus in the Premier Division on the battle to escape relegation.

With just three points separating the top four, another night of intrigue beckons in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

Cork’s best-known fishmonger, Pat O’Connell, was thinking of his mother as he once again shared a few words with the Queen of England — but this time he was at her pad, namely Buckingham Palace.

Domestic football has claimed its first managerial casualty of the season with the departure of Alan Mathews from Shelbourne.

Shelbourne 1 Bray Wanderers 2

Shelbourne are favourites to make it an all-Dublin FAI Ford Cup final against St Patrick’s Athletic on November 4 at the Aviva Stadium when they clash with Derry City in tonight’s semi-final replay at Tolka Park (8pm).

It’s a super semi Sunday of domestic football tomorrow with live television coverage on RTÉ 2 of the FAI Ford Cup last four games between Derry City and Shelbourne at the Brandywell (1.45pm) and Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic at Oriel Park (3.55pm).

Drogheda United 2 Shelbourne 1

Shelbourne bid to secure their third successive victory when they host the league’s form team at Tolka Park tonight (kick-off: 7.45pm).

Drogheda United can move within three points of Premier Division leaders Sligo Rovers with victory over Shelbourne in tonight’s crucial clash at Tolka Park (8pm).

Bray Wanderers and Shelbourne face off at the Carlisle Grounds tonight after both sides ended a run of two defeats with impressive results last week (kick off: 7.45pm).

Shelbourne will be hoping to put their recent derby defeat at home to Shamrock Rovers behind them when they travel to Richmond Park to face St Patrick's Athletic in their second derby in a row.

Airtricity League Premier Division football, minus the now defunct Monaghan United, returns after the brief summer break, with tonight’s big Dublin derby clash of Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park (8pm).

UCD will host Shelbourne boosted by draws with champions Shamrock Rovers and in-form Drogheda United in recent weeks.

UEFA are probing irregular betting patterns surrounding Friday’s Airtricity Premier Division clash between Shelbourne and Monaghan.

Two of the Premier Division’s newly-promoted clubs clash at Tolka Park with Shelbourne looking to get back to winning ways after defeats in their last two games.

Cork City return to the scene of their memorable final day title success when they snatched the First Division crown from Shelbourne’s hands at Tolka Park.

Drogheda United will look to maintain their unbeaten run when they host Shelbourne at Hunky Dorys Park this evening.

Dundalk will look to secure their second home win in a row after suffering a 3-0 loss at Sligo Rovers last time out as they welcome Shelbourne to Oriel Park tonight (kick off: 7.45pm).

Shelbourne will be looking for a better derby day outcome than last week when they host St Patrick's Athletic at Tolka Park at 8pm tonight.

Dublin will see the unbeaten pair Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne go head to head in an intriguing derby match at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

They’ll be reeling in the years at Tallaght Stadium tonight as the current top two in the Airtricity Premier Division meet in league action for the first time in six years.

Shelbourne will bid to correct an unusual statistic in that they have not beaten the Candystripes in a league game since 2006.

Shelbourne will bid to correct an unusual statistic tonight - they have not beaten the Derry City in a league game since 2006.

Bohemians boss Aaron Callaghan will take charge of the Gypsies in a home league game for the first time in a fixture that promises to be an interesting Dublin derby clash with Shelbourne.

PENALTIES saved and penalties paid were the twin themes of the post-match reaction in the Aviva Stadium yesterday, as Sligo Rovers celebrated and Shelbourne fumed.

THEY talk about the glory of the cup but, for Shelbourne, today is as much about redemption as it is about romance.

SHELBOURNE manager Alan Mathews has explained why he declined to talk to the media immediately after his side lost the First Division title to a late Cork City goal at Tolka Park on Saturday night.

THERE’s a memorable scene in the French film, Amélie, in which the quirky heroine wonders how many Parisians are enjoying the delights of the bedroom at that very moment.

Shelbourne travel to Inchicore to face St Patrick’s Athletic in tonight’s FAI Ford Cup semi-final replay, kick-off 7.45pm.

HAVING not been good enough to put First Division Shelbourne away at Tolka Park on Friday night, St Patrick’s Athletic midfielder Stephen Bradley wants a massive improvement at Richmond Park tonight for the FAI Cup semi-final replay (7.45pm).

Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic go head to head at Tolka Park tonight for a place in this year’s FAI Ford Cup final (kick-off 7.35pm).

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.

AS A hotly contested Airtricity League season enters its final month, crucial points are up for grabs at the top of both the Premier and First Division tonight.

THERE were 3,205 in Turner’s Cross last night and, barring only the small travelling band of shell-shocked Shels supporters, they should all be back asking for more of the same please, after Cork City fashioned a devastating four-star comeback to leave the league leaders’ reputation as near invincibles in tatters.

IT’S another big Airtricity League Premier Division derby night in the capital as Bohemians host Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park (kick-off 7.05pm).

VETERAN Bray Wanderers boss Pat Devlin admits his team are travelling into the unknown when they clash with Munster Senior League side Youghal United in tomorrow’s FAI Ford Cup third-round tie at Ardrath Park (3pm).

SHELBOURNE were obliged to come from behind against Cork City to maintain their lead in the First Division, although the Leesiders had the consolation of leaving Tolka Park with their unbeaten record intact.

WITH tomorrow’s Setanta Cup final between Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers curtailing tonight’s Airtricity League Premier Division action, the First Division takes centre stage this evening as Shelbourne host Cork City in a top of the table clash at Tolka Park (8pm).

Bohemians take on old rivals Shelbourne at Dalymount Park tonight for a place in the quarter-finals of this season’s FAI Ford Cup, kick-off 7.45pm.

Alan Mathews has been appointed manager of Shelbourne FC, it was announced today.

AFTER quite a few wobbles in the first half of the season, Bohemians last week began the long run-in in ominously good form, with a 3-0 win over Dundalk which hauled them up to second in a congested table, two points behind St Patrick’s Athletic, level with Shamrock Rovers and just one point ahead of tonight’s visitors to Dalymount Park, Sporting Fingal.

THE pick of the bunch in the Airtricity League tonight sees a re-run of the Setanta Cup Final with St Patrick’s Athletic hosting Bohemians at Richmond Park in front of the live Setanta Ireland cameras (kick-off 7.45pm).