Mick McCarthy and Seamus Coleman have paid tribute in Gibraltar to Jon Walters, after the striker announced that injury has forced him to retire from football, bringing to a close an illustrious Irish career which saw him score 14 goals in 54 appearances.

Jon Walters has announced his retirement this afternoon.

Andy Reid has defended Roy Keane's management style from criticism.

"It was 23 years ago that my Mum passed away. With the advances in medicine since then, I would like to envisage that taking my advice could help save your life."

Martin O’Neill wants to bring the “tough to handle” Roy Keane with him to Nottingham Forest, and claimed that Ireland would never have qualified for the 2016 European Championships without his former assistant.

So it’s Denmark at the Aviva again and, at his pre-match press conference yesterday, Martin O’Neill finally succumbed to the inevitable and let slip the ‘r’ word.

In his autobiography, A Life in Questions, the broadcaster Jeremy Paxman relates a memorable exchange between John Major and Boris Yeltsin, as described by the former British prime minister.

Kevin Kilbane probably summed up what most people were feeling about the Declan Rice saga when, last night on Virgin Media Sport, he opined: “If he’s going to come back and play for us, I need a hell of an explanation.”

Jason McAteer has blamed his long-time foe Roy Keane for Declan Rice's expected decision to declare for England.

Republic of Ireland striker Jonathan Walters will miss next month’s Nations League clashes with Denmark and Wales as he faces up to six months on the sidelines.

Former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy says the national team has become "like Roy Keane’s Ireland" after all the negative publicity around the assistant manager.

Keith Andrews believes that if Ireland lose both games and badly underperform in next month’s Nations League double header at the Aviva, there will be no way back for the Martin O’Neill/Roy Keane management team.

"Keane can forget about a future in the game. He won't have Martin O'Neill to shield him forever."

Tony Cascarino has become the latest former Ireland international to criticise Roy Keane’s actions as Ireland assistant boss – stating that the former Man United great was ‘anything but a professional’.

Martin O’Neill has said that Stephen Ward’s leaked account of the row involving Roy Keane, Harry Arter and Jon Walters has no implications for the Burnley man’s international career.

Martin O’Neill has said that Roy Keane is ready to have a “reconciliation” with Harry Arter.

A great power was given to Roy Keane. A power that can be dispensed in a look. By just making the face.

Even on the back of a painful hiding, one game into a new campaign might seem a bit too early to be talking about crisis.

Walters played the full 90 minutes in last night's 4-1 defeat to Wales.

The Cork youngster penned a new contract with Liverpool last month.

Ger McCarthy poses four questions ahead of Ireland's rematch with Wales...

Harry Arter has made himself unavailable for Ireland’s Nations League opener against Wales on Thursday, as the fallout from his disagreement with Roy Keane intensifies.

At least we know that the Aviva crowd will definitely have something to cheer about tonight. With the friendly against the USA doubling as a John O’Shea tribute gig, the feelgood factor is already in place.

Martin O’Neill needs firepower up top — and quick, writes John Fallon.

France 2 Rep Ireland 0

Ireland return to the familiar surroundings of the Stade de France this evening, caught between feelings of what might have been and what they hope is to come.

Martin O’Neill appears resigned to having to plan for Ireland’s inaugural Nations League campaign without James McCarthy.

Although absent from this week’s trip to Turkey as he continues his recovery from knee surgery in January, Jon Walters has assured Martin O’Neill that he is not planning to retire from international football.

Pundits, journalists, supporters, and former players and managers: Plenty of people have had plenty to say about Martin O’Neill over the last few days, very little of it favourable.

Martin O’Neill is staying on as Republic of Ireland manager after turning down the chance to manage Stoke City.

Ireland won’t be part of the summer World Cup spectacle but there remains some burning issues for the game here in the year ahead.

Rep of Ireland 1 Denmark 5

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill is hopeful that Jon Walters could still feature against Denmark in the World Cup playoff next month.

Martin O’Neill has said he would be disappointed if James McClean was not feeling frustrated about his restricted game time at West Brom.

James McCarthy has been named in a 34-man Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup play-offs against Denmark.

Martin O’Neill probably had the best quote on the size of Ireland’s play-off challenge before he even learned the identity of his team’s opponents in Zurich yesterday.

Things took an unusual turn, for a Liam Brady column, on the morning of Cardiff.

Ireland’s prospects of reaching the World Cup in Russia were boosted yesterday after Robbie Brady was cleared to play in next month’s play-offs.

It must be the dawn of a new era when one of Ireland’s great recoveries didn’t require the deft touches of Wes Hoolahan, but this wasn’t an evening for silken skills.

“We have to win the games and the equation is really simple,” was Martin O’Neill’s decisive summation yesterday, as he contemplated Ireland’s World Cup qualifying landscape with two group games to go.

While he fervently hopes that any end of era in Irish football is still a matter of months rather than days away, Martin O’Neill has said he expects a “natural exodus” of senior players once his team’s interest in World Cup 2018 is over.

While he fervently hopes that any end of era in Irish football is still a matter of months rather than days away, Martin O’Neill has said he expects a “natural exodus” of senior players once his team’s interest in World Cup 2018 is over.

If Ireland are to extract a buzz from their final two World Cup group games, then they’re going to have to search for it within, not in the fact that Gareth Bale will be absent for Wales.