Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth says he expects Chris Shields will keep getting better after the powerhouse midfielder signed a new deal at the club.

Not everything will be sunny in the South-East this evening as Cork City and Waterford bid for a much-needed SSE Airtricity League Premier Division victory to lift dark clouds hanging over both clubs.

“Last month was a great one for us, we didn’t lose a game, and it was important that we carried that on against Cork City last week.”

Cork City suffered a fourth league defeat in eight games as Shamrock Rovers proved far superior at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.

New Ireland call-up Jack Byrne scored twice as leaders Shamrock Rovers left it late to overcome a spirited UCD side at Tallaght Stadium.

SHAMROCK Rovers’ training base at Kingswood was bathed in brilliant sunshine yesterday but manager Stephen Bradley and his players badly need a pick-me-up result against Limerick in Tallaght tonight (8pm) to dispel the dark clouds which currently assail the club.

The pressure was ratcheted up on Stephen Bradley’s tenure as Shamrock Rovers head-coach when they became the first side to lose to basement side Bray this season.

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.

Waterford FC 2 Shamrock Rovers 1... Courtney Duffus netted a brace in front of an attendance of 3, 010 as Waterford FC won against ten-man Shamrock Rovers in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division as the Blues picked up a massive win to move into second spot in the table.

Cork City boss John Caulfield believes Conor McCormack was “targeted” against Dundalk at the weekend and will restore faith in his skipper as the champions face Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross this evening (7.45pm).

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.

Liam Mackey takes a look at the top five signings for 2018.

Alan Bennett never went missing for Cork City this season, so you can’t blame him if he goes off the radar in the coming weeks.

It was one in, one out, and one staying put at Turner’s Cross yesterday as Cork City were busy on the transfer front.

Reaching the League of Ireland summit is one thing, staying there another.

For the first time in 12 years, Cork City finally got their hands on the SSE Airtricity League trophy at the end of tonight’s final home game of the season and a 1-0 win over Bray Wanderes at a sold out Turner’s Cross.

Cork City boss John Caulfield believes his Cork City champions brought the League of Ireland “to another level” with the standard of their performances in winning the title this season.

John Fallon looks at what Cork City must do to stay on top next season.

And so the wait goes on until at least Monday, when Cork City will have the chance to reprise their last title success, in 2005, by beating Derry City - or, this time, even just drawing with them - at Turner’s Cross.

Cork City 1 - Dundalk 1: Cork City were just three minutes away from their first title in 12 years last night but, frustratingly for the home side, a Robbie Benson goal — cancelling out a first half Brian Gartland own goal — smashed and grabbed the point for Dundalk which was enough to prevent the trophy officially changing hands at Turner’s Cross.

CORK City will have to wait another few weeks to finally relieve defending champions Dundalk of their league crown and smash their four in-a-row bid after a highly-charged and dramatic night’s football at a sold out Turner’s Cross tonight.

Limerick 2 Cork City 1: It’s 12 years since Cork City last lifted the Premier Division trophy but the last three weeks have proven particularly frustrating for a side that will hope to finally relieve Dundalk of the title when the reigning champions visit Turner’s Cross on Monday.

The Leesiders will have to wait to claim the League.

A fire safety audit will be carried out at a flat complex in Inchicore in Dublin following a blaze in which a family was injured, two critically.

FAI Cup quarter-final: Longford Town 1 - Cork City 4: A professional performance that delivered a convincing win brought a spring to the step of Cork City manager John Caulfield as he left City Calling Stadium on Saturday night.

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley has played down his simmering feud with John Caulfield, saying he respects Cork City and that the club will be deserving league champions.

Cork City boss John Caulfield has reignited his war of words with Shamrock Rovers, saying his club are expecting “gamesmanship” in their meeting this week and accusing Hoops players of “hitting the deck for no reason”.

If things had worked out a little differently, Cork City defender Ryan Delaney could have been preparing for a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United next month.

John Caulfield is expected to shuffle his pack for tonight’s EA Sports Cup semi-final at Shamrock Rovers, with Greg Bolger, Jimmy Keohane, and Ryan Delaney all in line to start at Tallaght Stadium tonight, writes John Fallon.

John Caulfield is expected to shuffle his pack for tonight’s EA Sports Cup semi-final at Shamrock Rovers, with Greg Bolger, Jimmy Keohane, and Ryan Delaney all in line to start at Tallaght Stadium (7pm).

Cork City’s remarkable unbeaten run is finally over after a second half George Poynton penalty saw Bohemians plunder all three points in last night’s entertaining SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash at Turners Cross.

Mid-table Bohemians ended Cork City’s remarkable 22-match unbeaten league record and their hopes of going unbeaten for the whole season with a narrow away win at Turner’s Cross tonight.

Cork City’s Euro dream is very much in the balance after they suffered a first defeat in 26 matches losing out to AEK Larnaca in a tense and highly competitive Europa League qualifier at Turner’s Cross last night, writes Noel Spillane.

A second-half goal from Joan Truyois saw AEK Larnaca take control of this Uefa Europa League second qualifying round tie as they defeated a gallant Cork City in front of a packed Turner’s Cross last night.

Cork City 4 Levadia Tallinn 2 (Cork City win 6-2 on aggregate): Seán Maguire gave Cork City another taste of what they’ll be missing from next month with a brilliant hat-trick to inspire his team to victory on a memorable Europa League night at Turner’s Cross last night.

LEVADIA TALLINN 0 - 2 CORK CITY: John Caulfield hailed his side’s clinical away performance as their two-goal Europa League first qualifying round first leg win in Estonia last night leaves the second leg close to a formality.

Cork City have been to the Baltics before on European football expeditions in Latvia and Lithuania but this evening’s Europa League first round qualifier here in the coastal resort town of Parnu is a first for the club.

Cork City can focus their attentions on Thursday’s night game in Estonia against Levadia Tallinn, John Caulfield’s men securing what was a hard-earned victory over a lively and determined Derry City at Maginn Park.

Dundalk 0 Cork City 3: Here at Oriel Park, on a balmy evening on the brink of the summer break, was a tantalising meeting between this season’s unstoppable force and the last three seasons’ immovable object.

Cork City midfielder Greg Bolger will be hoping to show his mean streak to Dundalk as the league leaders meet the champions in a crucial top-of-the-table clash at Oriel Park tomorrow night after declaring: “I’m not nice when I’m on the bench.”

Another game and another night to remember for Cork City, but this time their swaggering winning margin masked the fact they also had to show spirit in coming from behind to beat a Shamrock Rovers who were reduced to 10 men with the score at 1-1.

Cork City have extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier League Division to 16 points following a 2-1 victory over Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds last night.

Cork City FC 5 Drogheda United 0: Cork City provided emphatic proof that the end of their winning run was merely a blip as Drogheda United were shrugged aside with ease at Turner’s Cross last night.

Cork City manager John Caulfield is confident his charges will get back to business tonight and put down the first marker of a new winning streak.