Almost 25,000 tickets have been sold for tomorrow's benefit game in support of Sean Cox at the Aviva Stadium.

So that’s nearly Thursday wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Music will be from Damien Dempsey and we’ll have a performance from the stars of The King and I.

Ireland's all-time leading goal scorer will captain his country once more in a Sean Cox fundraiser.

Former RTE pundit Eamon Dunphy has blamed Ireland’s management team and John Delaney for failing to secure Declan Rice as an Irish player.

It starts officially tomorrow although celebrations have been underway for a little while. The 30th anniversary of Ireland’s Euro 88 adventure. Specifically, tomorrow marks 30 years since Ray Houghton’s goal.

Liverpool must move quickly to replace Philippe Coutinho, former Reds striker John Aldridge has warned.

Peter Schmeichel all but scoffs when asked how the current Ireland and Denmark squads compare to his day when the teams drew twice in the qualifying rounds for the 1994 World Cup.

Ye Gods, it can’t be true but somehow it is. When Ireland take on Denmark in the World Cup play-off next month, it really will be 25 years (and a couple of weeks) since I was last in the Parken Stadium watching the two nations go head to head, writes Liam Mackey.

If not always the football, then the results continue to flow in the World Cup qualifiers. writes Liam Mackey

That was old school.

Niall Quinn believes that Jeff Hendrick, the biggest Irish mover in the transfer window, has got what it takes to become the main man in the national team.

The Republic of Ireland travels to France this week with a squad of 23 players who will be looking to make history and take Ireland out of the group stage for the first time in the Euros.

Jack Charlton was Ireland manager the last time Ireland played a senior international match in Cork, and Munster’s finest provided the opposition, writes Martin Claffey.

It looks like it will be all-change upfront for Ireland in Turner’s Cross tomorrow night, with Shane Long — who opened the scoring against the Netherlands on Friday but also opened a pre-existing cut on his knee — set to be rested and wrapped in cotton-wool so nothing more serious befalls him between now and June 13.

For the newest generation of Irish football fans, Euro ‘88 belongs to the remote past. France 2016 will be their first time, and just maybe, let’s hope, the best of times too.

There was a lot of excitement around both Real Sociedad, and the city of San Sebastian, when David Moyes took over the Basque club last November. 12 months on, an unhappy parting of the ways appears inevitable.

A small village in West Cork has scored a major coup in getting a match against some of the greatest Irish soccer legends.

This Sunday, when goals will be the only relevant currency to reviving Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualification quest, sharpshooter Daryl Murphy is ready to play his part in clipping the wings of Group D leaders Poland.

We've compiled a list of the best non-Irish born Irish internationals not in the current squad.

Mario Balotelli gave away his Liverpool shirt at half-time against Real Madrid in a moment that symbolised the gaping gap between the two sides; and there will be now be inevitable speculation over whether he will ever get it back again.

Former Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge believes Luis Suarez’s four-month ban could prove a blessing in disguise for Liverpool.

Tomorrow’s meeting of Liverpool and Manchester City is probably the most eagerly anticipated Premier League game for neutrals this season, as England’s two highest-scoring teams meet in a game which will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the 2014 title race.

Former Liverpool captain Ronnie Whelan believes the current crop of Reds are finishing the season stronger than their rivals and that gives them the best chance of winning the title.

Former Liverpool captain Ronnie Whelan believes the current crop of Reds are finishing the season stronger than their rivals and that gives them the best chance of winning the title.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez says the “sky is the limit” for Seamus Coleman and is ready to reward the full-back’s progress at Goodison Park with a new, improved contract.

As Munster rugby celebrated their victory over Leinster in Limerick, at the weekend, a Red of a different stripe was also celebrating after walking down the aisle in the Treaty City.

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has accused Luis Suarez of a “massive lack of loyalty” by his desire to leave the club.

The Irish Government should treat whistleblower Edward Snowden’s asylum plea with the same creativity as the Jack Charlton era, it has been claimed.

I watched the qualifier against the Faroe Islands a long way from home — and yet it still felt very much like home.

Few will forget Ireland’s ill-fated 1995 clash with England at Lansdowne

Friday night’s last ever Basque derby to be held at Athletic Bilbao’s Estadio San Mames should have been a celebration of La Catedral’s 100-year history, but instead turned into yet another low point in one of the club’s worst seasons.

Having guided Burnley to the Premier League before reaping more acclaim at Bolton, the former Ireland international was relieved of his duties at the Reebok in October, as Wanderers struggled to adapt to the challenge of the Championship following relegation on the last day of the season.