Dundalk’s defence was finally breached but a goal from the most unlikely of sources ensured they went top of the table following victory over Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park last night.

Shamrock Rovers 6 Bray Wanderers 0: Goals on their full debuts for new signings Dan Carr and Sean Kavanagh, and a brace from Brandon Miele, helped get Shamrock Rovers’ season up and running with a first win of the campaign.

Shamrock Rovers 0 Dundalk 0: While Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk are still searching for their first win this season, it was the Lilywhites who went back the M1 last night from Tallaght Stadium carrying the regret of Pat Hoban missing a sitter to nick victory on the hour.

It will be one small step for the Cork City players to cross the white line at Dalymount Park tonight, but one giant leap for the club if they can beat Bohemians.

Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers will have to meet again to determine who joins Cork City in this year’s FAI Cup final following a fiesty semi-final clash at Oriel Park yesterday evening.

Shamrock Rovers 3 Cork City 1: Cork City still have plenty of time to wrap up this Premier Division title — six games, to be exact — but what looked for so long like a procession has come to resemble more of a tired stumble for the finishing line.

Champions-elect Cork City were beaten away from home for the first time all season and they shipped three goals for the first time too as Shamrock Rovers repeated their EA Sports Cup, semi-final victory over the same opposition at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

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

There were two games in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division tonight.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Cork City 0 (AET): At the end of a long night in Tallaght, Shamrock Rovers finally got the better of a gutsy Cork City to qualify for the EA Sports Cup final against Dundalk on September 16.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Bohemians 2: Ismahil Akinade inspired Bohemians to their first win at Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers since 2012 last night to ease fears of them slipping into a relegation battle.

FK Mlada Boleslav 2 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (Boleslav win 5-2 on agg.) Already facing a mammoth task following the first leg, Shamrock Rovers duly bowed out of the Europa League in the Czech Republic last night.

Shamrock Rovers 2 Mladá Boleslav 3

Shamrock Rovers 1 Stjarnan 0 (Shamrock Rovers win 2-0 on aggregate): A winning goal on the night from Graham Burke and several telling saves from goalkeeper Tomer Chencinski at the other end ensured Shamrock Rovers’ safe Europa League passage.

STJARNAN 0 - 2 SHAMROCK ROVERS: Gary Shaw’s first-half goal brought Shamrock Rovers victory at the Stjörnuvöllur in Reykjavik last night to mark a milestone 100th win in European club competition by a League of Ireland side.

Shamrock Rovers have bounced back from their thrashing at the hands of Cork City.

Goals in either half from Gary Shaw and Brandon Miele got Shamrock Rovers back to winning ways as Galway’s seven-match unbeaten run came to an end at Tallaght.

Derry City 3 Shamrock Rovers 1: A brace of stunning strikes from Derry City’s Aaron McEneff put this game out of the reach of Shamrock Rovers at Maginn Park.

Bohemians 0 Shamrock Rovers 2: Goals from Brandon Miele and Trevor Clarke gave Shamrock Rovers victory over bitter rivals Bohemians in this highly entertaining game at Dalymount Park.

Cork City’s incredible winning run since the start of the season came to an end in their 13th fixture away to Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park tonight.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Limerick FC 1: Limerick’s Rodrigo Tosi struck in the last minute of normal time to snatch a draw at Tallaght Stadium.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Cork City 2: Despite the day that was in it, it was the Shamrock that was left wilting in Tallaght as Cork City extended their grand parade at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division table.

Hot shot Sean Maguire with his seventh and eighth goals of the season eased Cork City six points clear at the top of the Premier Division with a lucky 2-1 away win over Shamrock Rovers at a wet and windy Tallaght Stadium.

Shamrock Rovers - 2

Shamrock Rovers 0 Bray Wanderers 0: Shamrock Rovers booked their place in the Europa League last night but it appears Stephen Bradley won’t be at the helm for the 2017 season.

Fresh from last week’s historic exploits in the Europa League, Dundalk refocus fully on their title retention quest when they host Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park this evening.

Bray Wanderers 1, Shamrock Rovers 1: Former Bray Wanderers man Gary McCabe came off the bench to end the Wicklow club’s record breaking run.

Despite a much-improved display, Shamrock Rovers bowed out of the Europa League in Rovaniemi last night. 

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shamrock Rovers 2: Goals in either half from Brandon Miele and Gary Shaw gave Shamrock Rovers the points from this Dublin derby at Richmond Park.

Shamrock Rovers 4 Midleton 0

Plotting a route through the professional ranks in the shadow of his famous father has never been a chore for the newest Ireland U21 recruit, Niall Keown.

Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 2: Goals in either half from Billy Dennehy and Christy Fagan gave Pat’s all three points from this entertaining Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium. Dennehy opened the scoring as the game entered first half injury time with Fagan scoring the second early in the second half.

It was a good night for the champions.

Ireland 0 Norway 0: Ireland’s U21s completed 2015 with a stalemate against a powerful Norway side at the Waterford RSC last night.

Limerick 0 Shamrock Rovers 2: Limerick FC may avoid the drop if they beat Sligo Rovers away in their final game of the season next Friday.