The season might still be young but three games in the next seven days will tell a lot about Dundalk’s ability to successfully defend their Airtricity League title.

John Caulfield is a professed fan of St Pats’ style of football under Liam Buckley but he’ll be hoping his Cork City can knock the glide out of their stride at Richmond Park this evening.

There are just three games in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division tonight but no shortage of quality and tantalising sub-plots, as Shamrock Rovers meet Cork City in Tallaght, cup holders St Pats travel to Oriel Park to take on champions Dundalk, and joint bottom clashes with joint top as Galway United host Drogheda United.

SSE Airtricity Premier Division

Derry City 2 Shamrock Rovers 0

Dundalk 3 Shamrock Rovers 2

FAI FORD CUP:

Cork City 1 Shamrock Rovers 0

Bray Wanderers 0 Shamrock Rovers 3

Shamrock Rovers striker Eamon Zayed is ready to formalise his long-standing opposition to racism in football by becoming a director on the board of Show Racism The Red Card.

Shamrock Rovers 2 UCD 0

SSE AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION:

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shamrock Rovers 2

Richard Brush saved a penalty and made several other top stops to help earn Shamrock Rovers a scarcely deserved point from a 0-0 draw to utterly frustrate Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

Ciaran Kilduff is set to make his debut for Cork City as they host defending champions Sligo Rovers in tonight’s Premier Division clash at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Karl Sheppard hit a late equaliser as Shamrock Rovers salvaged a point from a 1-1 draw - the Hoops' seventh stalemate of the campaign - with champions Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

After another late concession, which manager Tommy Dunne termed ‘stupid’, to let two points slip against Shelbourne on Friday, Cork City will be looking to pick themselves up as Shamrock Rovers come to Turner’s Cross for an evenly poised Setanta Cup semi-final second-leg tonight.

Cork City travel to Tallaght this evening to face Shamrock Rovers in the Airtricity League with both sides anxious to prevail, albeit for slightly different reasons.

While the majority of leagues take a break for the duration of international blocs, there’s no such rest for Airtricity League clubs, with a full list of fixtures down for decision today and tomorrow – even if the cruel weather might still force a couple of cancellations.

The 2013 campaign gets underway later tonight.

Kevin Doyle last night admitted he was poised to join Celtic on transfer deadline day.

Ireland's top international football stars have been honoured at the FAI International Football Awards tonight.

Robbie Keane has said he will only consider a loan move to an English club in January if he feels is 100% fit.

Sligo Rovers manager Ian Baraclough has said Rovers will improve their squad despite the loss of Mark Quigley and Jason McGuinness to Shamrock Rovers.

New Shamrock Rovers manager Trevor Croly has said finding someone to fill the shooting boots of departed club legend Gary Twigg will be high up on his agenda.

It was a season where Sligo exploded with joy after ending a 35-year wait for the title, Shamrock Rovers relinquished their crown without a whimper and Drogheda United exceeded all expectations.

Newly-crowned champions Sligo Rovers have, as expected, dominated the PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year with five places but there was no place for any member of EA Sports Cup and Europa League bound Drogheda United in the side.

Raffaele Cretaro scored twice as Sligo Rovers beat Derry City 4-1 to move eight points clear at the top of the Premier Division table with four games to play and closer to the cusp of a first league title in 35 years.

Bray Wanderers 0 Sligo Rovers 0

Sligo Rovers took another giant step towards the Airtricity League Premier Division title with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Shelbourne at Tolka Park last night.

Sligo Rovers moved five points clear at the top of the Premier Division table, with a game in hand, as they beat Shelbourne 3-1 at Tolka Park.

Champions Shamrock Rovers are still playing catch-up in the Premier Division as leaders Sligo Rovers were full value for a point in last night’s entertaining encounter at Tallaght Stadium.

Sligo Rovers’ dreams of progressing to the glamour stages of the Europa League ended in this second leg qualifier at the Showgrounds last night.

Christy Fagan scored an extra-time winner as St. Patrick’s Athletic beat Široki Brijeg 2-1 to delight Richmond Park last night and advance, on a 3-2 aggregate, to a lucrative Europa League third round meeting with Bungeliga giants Hannover 96.

Sligo Rovers travel to North West rivals Derry City tonight looking to get back to winning ways and keep ahead of the chasing pack in the title race (kick off: 7.05pm).

Dundalk manager Sean McCaffrey has left the club.

Dundalk, who went out of the EA Sports Cup against Drogheda United on penalties in their quarter-final match on Monday, face Premier Division leaders Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park tonight.

Shamrock Rovers have been drawn against Lithuanian champions FK Ekranas in the Uefa Champions League second qualifying round draw.

Sligo had to settle for a point from a match they could so easily have lost as their mid-season blip continued at Dalymount Park.

League leaders Sligo Rovers had captian Jason McGuinness sent off as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Bohemians.

Danny North scored in each half as Sligo Rovers kept their unbeaten Premier Division run intact last night.

Daniel North struck twice in the top-of-the-table clash as leaders Sligo Rovers ended Drogheda’s 10-match unbeaten run in fine style.

Two of the Premier Division's form teams meet in a clash at Hunky Dorys Park tonight that could prove an indicator of both side's ambitions for the rest of the campaign.