St Patrick's Athletic have breathed new life into their European ambitions.

This was scrappy, tense and far from impressive.

No wins in seven matches over the past six weeks has intensified pressure on Cork City, meaning anything less than victory Monday night against basement side Finn Harps at Turner's Cross will fuel crisis talk.

In a week that began in abject defeat to Derry City at the same venue, St Patrick’s produced one of their best displays of the campaign back at Richmond Park to mark the news on Thursday that they look to have a back door entry into the Europa League this summer.

After the disappointment of conceding a last minute equaliser to St Pat’s on Friday, Cork City are back in action tonight in search of a much-needed three points against UCD at the UCD Bowl (7.45pm).

Cork City boss John Caulfield is turning to the club’s youth set-up as he looks to add to the club’s firepower to reignite their stuttering season.

Keith Buckley’s first-half strike got Bohemians back to winning ways as St Patrick’s Athletic’s worrying slump continued at Dalymount Park.

The first Munster derby of the new SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season is all about showing ‘bouncebackability’, with both Cork City and Waterford smarting from defeats on the opening night and anxious to get their first points on the board at Turner’s Cross this evening.

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.

“Have we not?”

Cork City 1 Bray Wanderers 0

In the SSE Airtricity League, Dundalk have kept the Premier Division title race alive for another few days.

Sean Maguire equalled Pat Morley’s record of 20 Premier Division goals in a season for Cork as he signed off domestic action in style before his move to Preston.

Dylan Connolly last night revealed that Bray Wanderers’ precarious financial position played a major role in his move to Dundalk.

League of Ireland preview: Should they prevail against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds tonight, Dundalk can at least create the temporary illusion of a two-horse title race at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

SSE Airtricity League: Limerick manager Neil McDonald insists “the pressure is all on Cork” as he prepares for his first Munster derby at Turner’s Cross tonight (8pm, live on eirSport2).

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

Some people are on the piss, they think it’s all over...

Cork City 2 Bray Wanderers 1: 11 wins out of 11 and now 12 points clear at the top: with a third of the season gone, Cork City’s astonishing 2017 just keeps on getting better and better.

Cork City v Bray Wanderers, SSE Airtricity Premier Division: The accent is decidedly Dublin but the words are unmistakably Cork, more Shandon than his hometown Skerries.

Last week they beat champions Dundalk and next week they face leaders Cork. But, this evening, Bray Wanderers will be hoping to keep their early title ambitions on course as they host Shamrock Rovers at the Carlisle Grounds.

As the League of Ireland season kicks off tonight, all eyes will be on Dundalk’s four-in-a-row title quest even if the manager with history in his grasp won’t countenance personal accolades.

Bray Wanderers 4 Cork City 1: Bray gave Cork the worst possible FAI Cup final send-off on the last day of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season.

Cork City 4 Bray Wanderers 0: Red hot Cork City made it 13 goals in three games as they moved to within one point of leaders Dundalk in the SSE Airtricity League premier division with an emphatic victory over Bray Wanderers at Turners Cross last night.

Shamrock Rovers 2 Bray Wanderers 0: Killian Brennan and Dean Clarke scored second-half goals to earn Shamrock Rovers a much-needed win against 10-man Bray Wanderers at Tallaght Stadium.

An Áras Attracta worker went from mopping floors and changing beds to caring for patients without any training.

Ireland’s poor record at reaching for the Under-17 European Championship finals continues after this season’s contingent were eliminated on Saturday with a game to spare.

Ireland’s U17 girls were not giving up their Euro dream last night despite suffering a crushing defeat to France in their opening UEFA Elite Stage qualifier in Oslo yesterday.

Ireland U15s were twice pegged back yesterday by Belgium in Killarney as they drew 3-3 in the second of this week’s double-header.

The Ireland Under-15s staged a second-half comeback last night in Killarney to clinch a draw against Belgium.

Drogheda United fell at the first hurdle in this season's FAI Ford Cup as they were beaten at United Park by Sean Connor's Bohemians 1-0. Darren Mansaram grabbed the only goal of the game to put the Gypsies into the last 16 to leave Paul Doolin's side to concentrate on the league.

LIFESTYLE SPORTS has been taken over in a deal believed to be worth around €40 million.