A two-and-a-half-hour pep talk from tennis superstar Venus Williams got Stephen McPhail back on track when he struggled to get out of bed due to his autoimmune disease.

From Champions League semi-finals to his battle with cancer and his Rovers return, Stephen McPhail chats with Graham Cummins about his life in football.

Now head of youth development at Shelbourne, Stephen Henderson talks to Graham Cummins about his career as a goalkeeper and manager.

Cork City boss Neale Fenn insists his focus is solely on onfield matters with the manager revealing that he is not involved in the talks about Preston North End's role in the club.

Once again, the severe weather claimed a number of Cork County League games as victims, with just two matches played today.

So how do you feel after your little break, then? Relaxed, refreshed — or just plain bored?, writes Steven Kelly.

REALITY is very quickly catching up with Quique Setien, whose first month in his dream job as Barcelona coach has not gone as he would have hoped.

Before Christmas, such theories were little more than that — fantasy football hypotheses to debate in the stands or the pub.

Results from the opening fortnight of league hurling did little to strengthen the case of keeping faith with the new 12-team Division 1 structure.

Former Limerick player Karl O’Sullivan bagged what turned out to the be the winner on his debut for Finn Harps as they opened their account with a north-west derby win over Sligo Rovers at Finn Park yesterday evening.

Champions Dundalk opened their season with a victory for the first time in three seasons as Dane Massey popped up with a 79th-minute winner to break Derry City hearts at Oriel Park.

Both starting XIs reflected the ample transfer movement at the respective clubs in the close season, St Pat’s featuring six new signings while Waterford started no fewer than nine.

Mick McCarthy will keep the door open for James McClean to recover in time for the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off.

It would hardly be the first time that the word ‘stormy’ has been applied to a meeting of Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians but Hoops boss Stephen Bradley is concerned that the elements could have a significant impact on tomorrow afternoon’s first Dublin derby of the season at Dalymount Park.

Former St Johnstone striker Graham Cummins describes the demoralising day he was marked by then Celtic centre-half Virgil van Dijk.

Graham Cummins has had a well-traveled and colourful career that gradually eroded his love for football. But Waterford boss Alan Reynolds has rekindled the fire.

It took my wife and I a year-and-a-half to get a mortgage and it did create a lot of stress, says Graham Cummins

Five and a half years ago, then-Preston striker Graham Cummins and his wife woke to officers from Britain's National Crime Agency hammering at their front door.

Graham Cummins has left Cork City after the completion of his contract, as the club announced two signings from their Under-19 ranks.

With five ex-UCD players in their match-day squad, Shamrock Rovers confirmed the Students’ relegation with a comfortable victory at the UCD Bowl.

While it may not have had the same importance as recent meetings between the sides, Cork City's victory over Dundalk was lustily hailed by the home crowd.

Graham Burke hit the winner — his first goal back in a Hoops shirt — as Shamrock Rovers stretched their unbeaten league run to seven games against 10-man Waterford at Tallaght Stadium.

Shamrock Rovers have closed the gap on Dundalk to four-points at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

You have to go back 88 days to find the last time Cork City ended an SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match with three points. Summer has come and gone since, and alarmingly, a mini-revival by Finn Harps in the meantime has left the 2018 league and cup runners-up looking over their shoulders.

To say Cork City have had their patience tested by the Saints this season would be putting it mildly. In a season of soul-searching at the Cross, St Patrick’s Athletic have been a constant torment.

He may indeed relish the heat, but Dan Carr knows it’s all about Shamrock Rovers keeping cool heads in sweltering Nicosia tonight.

Cork City remain without a Premier Division win in their last seven, but there was nevertheless encouragement to be taken from a draw with second-placed Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross on Monday.

Shamrock Rovers closed the gap at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division to five points.

On the face of it, the failure of any of the four League of Ireland clubs to register a win on their first nights of European football this season doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the domestic game but, as ever in the context of the away goals rule, the good — as well as the devil — is in the detail.

Graham Cummins missed a host of chances to make himself the hero on his Shamrock Rovers debut as the former Cork City striker suffered the yips in front of goal.

Dundalk may well enjoy playing on the Brandywell’s big pitch, but Declan Devine insists the league leaders won’t find his Derry City a soft touch when they revisit Foyleside tonight.

Frank Kelleher believes he will bring a winning mentality to the Cork City set-up after he was appointed first team manager today.

A hat-trick from Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, coupled with a shambolic defensive display, saw Cork City’s season plunge to new depths at Turner’s Cross last night as Derry City ran riot to inflict another painful defeat in what is turning out to be a shocking season for last season’s runners-up.

The Airtricity Premier Division has seen Dundalk win the top-of-the-table clash at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

Cork City interim manager, John Cotter, expects a busy transfer window, but has denied speculation about immediate arrivals or exits at Turner’s Cross.

Teenager Cian Bargary enjoyed a memorable league debut when scoring the only goal of the game to get Cork City back to winning ways at the UCD Bowl.

It’s the New Firm — but not as we know it.

Goals from Karl Sheppard and Graham Cummins made it two from two under interim manager John Cotter for Cork City.

Cork City could make football history as the first club to have a female first team coach for a Europa League tie when they return to European action later this summer.

Cork City got the post-John Caulfield era off to the perfect start with three badly-needed and very hard-earned points at Dalymount Park.

John Cotter’s tenure as Cork City interim manager got off to a winning start as Conor McCarthy’s first-half goal was the difference at Dalymount Park tonight.

Cork City’s woes continued as a 76th-minute equaliser from captain Keith Cowan secured a draw for Finn Harps at Turner’s Cross last night.

Now without a win in six league games and having failed to score yet again, Cork City’s season shows no sign of improving judging on yesterday’s disappointing scoreless draw against fellow strugglers Sligo Rovers at Turner’s Cross.

Cork City’s home troubles continued as second-half pressure failed to yield a winner at Turner’s Cross on Monday evening.