First Division play-off: Galway FC 2 Shelbourne 0

Niall Gorey works for the company that makes the All-Ireland winners’ medals but yesterday he earned one to keep as Muskerry delivered one half of an AIG Cups and Shields double for Munster.

Casteltroy go into today’s AIG Junior Cup semi-finals at Carton House knowing there is extra pressure to succeed for the first time since 1972.

Floodlight failure called off tonight’s FAI Ford Cup third round game between Shelbourne and St.Patrick’s Athletic.

Airtricity First Division: Nine-man Finn Harps inflicted a fifth straight First Division defeat upon Shamrock Rovers B yesterday with a 1-0 win at Tallaght Stadium.

Everton are raiding the League of Ireland for another starlet they hope can follow the lead of Seamus Coleman.

AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION:

Dick Hearns is perhaps the greatest Mayo sportsperson you have never heard of.

After its brief summer respite, the Airtricity League resumes this evening with Premier Division table-toppers St Patrick’s Athletic at home to Bray Wanderers.

It’s the weekend when some of the country’s top intermediate sides dream of causing a shock against Airtricity League opposition.

Others, the injured Glenn Whelan among them, have put it more forcefully in the past but there was no disguising Keith Fahey’s preference for a five-man midfield when the subject arose earlier this week.

DON GIVENS insists it was his decision to step down as Ireland U21 manager, although he concedes that pressure was building on him in the wake of the recent home defeat to Armenia which capped a dismal run of results for his charges.

Louth are poised to field an unchanged team for their NFL Division 3 trip to Sligo on Sunday afternoon (Markievicz Park, throw-in 2.30pm).

New Louth senior football manager Peter Fitzpatrick has confirmed his backroom team for his first season in charge, which begins with an O'Byrne Cup tie against Wicklow on January 10.

Manager Johnny McDonnell has left St Patrick's Athletic, it was confirmed this afternoon.

Galway United travel to Richmond Park to face St Patrick's Athletic tonight knowing that a victory would see them move out of the relegation zone (kick-off 7.45pm).

Stephen Henderson says his Cobh Ramblers side will not be relying on any favours to keep them in the Premier Division.

Finn Harps know a victory will almost guarantee survival when St Patrick's Athletic come to Finn Park tonight, kick-off 7.35pm.

THE RDS woodwork twice denied St Patrick’s Athletic last night, as the League of Ireland side gave it everything but ultimately came up short in their efforts to turn around a 2-0 deficit against Hertha Berlin and reach the promised land of the group stages of the UEFA Cup.

ANYTHING less than another three points on their seemingly inexorable march towards the league title will come as a major surprise this evening when runaway leaders Bohemians take on Finn Harps at Dalymount Park (7.45).

St Patrick's Athletic travel to Dalymount Park tonight to take on league leaders Bohemians, (kick-off 7.45pm).

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC manager Johnny McDonnell has expressed his delight at drawing Hertha Berlin in the first round proper of the UEFA Cup.

In what has been another week of bad news for the domestic game, St Patrick’s Athletic last night displayed the merits of full-time professional football to progress to the first round proper of the UEFA Cup with a sensational, heart-stopping and, it must be said, thoroughly deserved victory over Elfsborg at a packed and ecstatic Richmond Park.

St Patrick's Athletic entertain Finn Harps in tonight's eircom League of Ireland Premier Division clash at Richmond Park, kick-off 7pm.

St Patrick’s Athletic can go back to the top of the table if they beat Bray Wanderers at Richmond Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

Galway United will be desperate for a victory to keep them in touch with the teams at the bottom of the table when they entertain St Patrick’s Athletic at Terryland Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians go head-to-head in tonight's top of the table clash at Richmond Park, kick-off 8.00pm.

Sligo Rovers entertain St Patrick's Athletic in tonight's eircom League of Ireland Premier Division clash at the Showgrounds (kick-off 8pm).

Champions Drogheda United will be hoping to rein in table-toppers St Patrick's Athletic at United Park, kick-off 7.45pm.

St Patrick’s Athletic will be hoping to stay clear at the top of the table when they take on UCD at Richmond Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC manager Johnny McDonnell believes Keith Fahey should have been included in Giovanni Trapattoni’s initial 40-man panel for Ireland’s forthcoming training camp in Portugal and friendlies against Serbia and Colombia.

St Patrick’s Athletic welcome Cork City to Richmond Park for Sunday evening’s televised clash, kick-off 7.00pm.

Shamrock Rovers will be looking to get their league campaign back on track when they take on St Patrick’s Athletic in today's televised clash at Tolka Park, kick-off 7pm.

Shamrock Rovers will be looking to get their league campaign back on track when they take on St Patrick’s Athletic in Sunday's televised clash at Tolka Park (kick-off 7pm).

St Patrick’s Athletic will be hoping to continue their good form when they entertain Cobh Ramblers to Richmond Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

Eircom League of Ireland table toppers St Patrick's Athletic entertain Carnegie Irish League leaders Linfield in tonight's Setanta Sports Cup clash at Richmond Park (kick-off 8.05pm).

Eircom League of Ireland leaders Derry City entertain St Patrick's Athletic in tonight's Setanta Sports Cup clash, kick-off 8.05pm.

St Patrick's Athletic will be looking to make it five from five as they welcome third-placed Derry City to Richmond Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

LEADING the table on goal difference from Derry, St Patrick’s Athletic are entitled to feel confident of maintaining their own 100% start to the league when they host Galway United at Richmond Park tonight (kick off 7.45pm).

St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians go head to head in tonight's televised eircom League of Ireland Premier Division clash with the Saints looking to maintain their slim title aspirations.

St Patrick's Athletic host Bray Wanderers in this evening's eircom League of Ireland Premier Division clash at Richmond Park, kick-off 7.45pm.

THE draw for the quarter-finals of the FAI Ford Cup has thrown up a brace of appetising derbies, with St Patrick’s Athletic at home to Bohemians in Dublin and Waterford United hosting Cork City in a re-run of last Friday’s Munster match-up at the RSC, which Cork won 3-0.

St Patrick's Athletic have made a last-minute signing at the close of this season's transfer window by bringing Glen Fitzpatrick to Richmond Park.

Is this set to be another momentous season for the FAI representatives in the UEFA cup?