It was near midnight on Sunday when Robbie Keane went silently into the record books.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Clinton Morrison has backed the Republic of Ireland to book a ticket to Euro 2016 in France.

Crystal Palace ambassador Mark Bright believes there was a “lack of confidence and faith” in Neil Warnock, who was sacked as manager of the club today.

He’s one of the most popular figures in darts but Raymond Van Barneveld has been battling his demons on the oche in recent years. From hypnotism to Buddhism, the Dutchman is searching for alternatives to find his best form again

Robbie Keane is confident that Ireland are heading for the Euro 2012 finals with a stronger pool of strikers than they had for the 2002 World Cup.

It is a continuing conceit of the human condition that allows us believe we are regularly blazing trails.

Former Irish international striker Clinton Morrison found the net for Sheffield Wednesday as they looked to be on the brink of claiming a spot in the fifth round.

Sheffield Wednesday 1 West Ham 0

CHAMPIONSHIP sides West Ham and Bristol City were dumped out of the Carling Cup as League Two Aldershot and Swindon produced first-round shocks last night.

Blackburn 3 Sheff Wed 1

Sheffield Wednesday started their npower League One campaign with a 2-0 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge.

Newcastle 4 Coventry 1

Coventry 1 Portsmouth 2 (after extra time)

Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1

Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1

Nottingham Forest 2 Coventry 0

IN football, as in life, as in the songs of Creedence Clearwater Revival, the big wheel keeps on turning. On a cold, rainy morning in November 2004, I sat with Brian Kerr in the Red Cow Hotel on the outskirts of Dublin and the talk was of a World Cup qualifying campaign involving, amongst others, Ireland, France and the Faroe Islands. Now it’s five years almost to the day, and I’m back in the same venue sitting across from the same man and, once again, the talk is of World Cup qualifying and of Ireland, France and the Faroe Islands.

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has defended his decision to leave Stephen Reid and Portsmouth’s Steve Finnan out of the 25-man squad for the World Cup qualifying play-off against France.

Coventry 3 Sheffield United 2

Coventry 1 Bristol City 1

Coventry made it two wins from two in the Coca-Cola Championship as they brushed aside a somewhat disappointing 10-man Barnsley side.

IPSWICH manager Roy Keane blasted his side’s defending as they began the Coca-Cola Championship season with a 2-1 defeat at Coventry yesterday.

Coventry 2 Ipswich 1

Everton fought out a 2-2 draw at Coventry in a pre-season friendly at the Ricoh Arena today.

Ipswich 2 Coventry 1

Coventry 1 Blackburn 0

LIKE so many modern marriages, my relationship to Crystal Palace is now conducted almost exclusively through text message.

Wolves remain six points clear at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship after overcoming Blackpool 2-0 at Molineux thanks to a double strike from Chris Iwelumo.

Newcastle 2 Aston Villa 0

Birmingham 0 Coventry 1

Birmingham remain at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship after a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

Coventry 2 Newcastle 3 (after extra-time)

BIRMINGHAM secured their place in the second round of the Carling Cup with a routine 4-0 victory at Wycombe as all four Coca-Cola Championship teams avoided upsets last night.

Coventry have completed the signing of Ireland international striker Clinton Morrison on a two-year deal.

NEIL WARNOCK is hardly averse to a spot of hyperbole, but nobody argued when the veteran manager suggested yesterday that turning his Crystal Palace side from Championship cannon fodder into Premier League hopefuls has been the biggest achievement of his long managerial career.

Tony Pulis steered his Stoke side to a 0-0 draw against Leicester which secured the Potters promotion to the Barclays Premier League and relegated the Foxes to Coca-Cola League One.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI may not start work with the FAI until May 1st, but even the prospect of his presence was enough to produce a match-winning effort from Republic striker, Clinton Morrison on Saturday.

GARY JOHNSON admits Bristol City are daring to dream of the Premier League after his surprise package moved back to the top of the Championship.

YOU might have noticed that a pop star of yesteryear died the other day.

Leicester 1 Crystal Palace 0

NEIL WARNOCK has admitted his relief at Don Givens’ decision to snub Clinton Morrison by leaving him out of the Republic of Ireland squad for next month’s friendly with Brazil.

WEST BROM went top of the Coca-Cola Championship courtesy of a 4-1 victory over Bristol City.

TONY MOWBRAY blamed a congested fixture list for West Brom’s failure to see off a determined Crystal Palace on Saturday.