Martin O'Neill says he is still hopeful Declan Rice will commit his international future to the Republic of Ireland, but admits some circumstances favour England.

Midfielder Glenn Whelan will lead Ireland out as captain against Northern Ireland for what will be his 85th senior appearance. The Aston Villa man will not be part of the squad for the Denmark game.

Conor Hourihane is long used to the constant comparisons to Roy Keane and he has no hesitation in sharing his fellow Corkman’s view that he had to break the Dublin monopoly to find his way up the Irish ladder.

Glenn Whelan will be given the honour of leading Ireland out against Northern Ireland in the friendly at the Aviva in November.

The latest chapter in Daryl Horgan’s career as a professional footballer began with a run off the bench for Neil Lennon’s Hibernian in their 1-1 draw away to St Johnstone in Perth last weekend.

France 2 Rep Ireland 0

Shane Supple, who quit professional football in August 2009 and had six years out of the game, has been called up by Ireland.

Martin O’Neill says he could turn to Bohemians stopper Shane Supple to alleviate his goalkeeping crisis.

No real ‘dawn of a new era’ headlines from Turkey, I’m afraid, as Ireland went down 1-0 on a night which, above all, was a reminder that neither of these teams will be starring in Russia in a few months.

This week in Turkey, they celebrated Nehruz, a festival to mark the coming of spring, the traditional rituals to mark the occasion including jumping over bonfires and tapping eggs.

Shane Duffy was named the FAI Senior Player of the Year for 2017 last night but the big Brighton defender was unable to collect his award in person as the weather took its toll on the annual televised ceremony in RTÉ, with the programme having to be shortened from a scheduled running time of 90 minutes to one hour.

In calling up Declan Rice to his squad for this month’s training camp and friendly in Turkey, Martin O’Neill has stressed that the highly-rated young West Ham defender, who is still eligible to play senior football for both Ireland and England, will not come under any pressure to decide his international future.

Martin O'Neill has expressed his surprise at Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill's claim that the Republic of Ireland are targeting Catholic players from across the border.

Between a lack of game time at West Brom and the vilification he routinely receives from the stands and on social media, the Premier League must sometimes feel like a cold house to James McClean.

James McCarthy has been named in a 34-man Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup play-offs against Denmark.

David McGoldrick has been ruled out of Sunday's World Cup Qualifier against Austria due to injury.

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill has added nine players to the squad ahead of the friendly against Uruguay at the Aviva on Sunday.

Irish football lore has room for just one one-cap wonder from the Steve Staunton era. And that’s fine by Colin Doyle.

Cork City goalkeepers Mark McNulty and Alan Smith are literally lending a helping hand to the Irish cause.

Cork man Colin Doyle hopes that he will be celebrating for real at Wembley today.

Robbie Brady was the man of the moment at the FAI 2016 Awards last night, taking an unprecedented hat-trick of gongs for Senior Player, Young Player, and for his Euros winner against Italy, Goal Of The Year.

Darren Randolph has revealed that he would be reluctant to seek a transfer away from West Ham United should his lack of first-team action at the Premier League club threaten his spot as Ireland’s first-choice goalkeeper.

The opening weekend of the Championship season was a pretty uneventful one for the Irish.

Colin Doyle may not be entirely cutting his ties with Birmingham City after a campaign was last night launched to grant the departing Cork-born goalkeeper a testimonial.

There was a time when Liam Miller wondered if hailing from Cork would hold him back and block his path to becoming a Republic of Ireland international.

Cork City 0 Birmingham City 3

While he never played for Cork City, Birmingham City goalkeeper Colin Doyle is a native of Leeside, and tonight’s Cork Airport Friendly between the two Citys at Turner’s Cross (6.45pm) is a chance to catch up with friends and family in Douglas.

Wicklow 1-21 DIT 3-13

Birmingham 4 Stoke 4 (Stoke win 4-2 on penalties)

Yeovil let Birmingham walk in a goal unopposed to make amends for their own “unsporting” equaliser — but were still knocked out of the Capital One Cup on penalties on Tuesday night.

Birmingham 1 Leeds 2

Leeds 1 Birmingham 1

Irish teenager Pierce Sweeney is hoping to emulate the likes of Kevin Doyle and Shane Long after swapping League of Ireland football for newly promoted Premier League side Reading.

Birmingham 2 Blackpool 2 (Blackpool win 3-2 on aggregate)

Blackpool 1 Birmingham 0

Birmingham City boss Chris Hughton insists midfielder Keith Fahey’s groin injury will not prevent him from making the Euro 2012 squad.

The King is dead, long live the king. That was how Ken Bates, Chelsea’s controversial former chairman, greeted the arrival of Ruud Gullit as manager when Glenn Hoddle left to take over the England team nearly 15 years ago.

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 2