Seamus Coleman will miss out as he serves a two-game suspension but will be invited to join up with the squad in Dublin for the final Euro 2020 qualifier.

Mick McCarthy has an acid tongue that is also capable of delivering lines as smooth as velvet.

At least Kevin Long hasn’t lost his sense of humour.

“It does help that we’re both from Cork and we can understand each other.”

Blackburn Rovers defenders Darragh Lenihan and Greg Cunningham have been called up for the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 qualifiers this month.

A look at the Republic of Ireland's player performances against Bulgaria tonight.

In a spirit of, as he put it,“nothing ventured, nothing gained”, Mick McCarthy has made the left-field decision to play Conor Hourihane atleft-back against Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium tonight.

Mick McCarthy's men face Switzerland in a "huge" Euro2020 qualifier on September 5 before a friendly with Bulgaria five days later.

Mick McCarthy has named his Ireland squad for the forthcoming European Championship qualifier against Switzerland and the friendly with Bulgaria.

Mick McCarthy has challenged the Republic of Ireland to back up their hard-earned Euro 2020 qualifying point in Denmark with victory over Gibraltar tomorrow evening.

The call-up will be a boost for Connell after his club, Bolton Wanderers, went into administration following their relegation from the Championship.

The parallels are striking. For Liechtenstein in Vaduz almost 23 years ago read Gibraltar in the Victoria Stadium on Saturday.

Shamrock Rovers midfielder Jack Byrne has received a last-minute call-up to replace the injured Callum O'Dowda in Mick McCarthy's first Republic of Ireland squad back in charge.

A Clonakilty man who was barred for life from a local hotel was jailed for two years today for violently kicking in a door at the premises during a Christmas visit.

Also included is Aston Villa's Glenn Whelan, who was expected to have played his last game for Ireland after captaining the side in a 36-minute ceremonial cameo against Northern Ireland in November.

His predecessor Martin O’Neill had to wait 10 months for his first competitive match, but half that duration is just as frustrating for Mick McCarthy when he’s had no Ireland fixtures at all.

Few would argue against the assessment that Matt Doherty has been the top-performing Irish player in Britain this season.

Paudie O’Connor doesn’t want to be remembered for his one night in London against Arsenal. He’s far too ambitious to be pigeonholed into a cameo.

In sharp contrast to the scarcity of strikers in the Ireland squad, John Egan knows he’s a victim of the riches in the central defensive department.

Midfielder Glenn Whelan will lead Ireland out as captain against Northern Ireland for what will be his 85th senior appearance. The Aston Villa man will not be part of the squad for the Denmark game.

Almost five years into his reign, at a cost of €10m in wages, Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane are, apparently, laying building blocks for the Ireland squad.

Poland 1Ireland 1

Ciarán Clark admits the decision by his Ireland teammate Declan Rice to stall his international career came as a major shock.

Glenn Whelan will be given the honour of leading Ireland out against Northern Ireland in the friendly at the Aviva in November.

France 2 Rep Ireland 0

As the domestic game’s big two go head to head again tonight, former Cork City player Neal Horgan argues for greater recognition of the League of Ireland at international level.

No real ‘dawn of a new era’ headlines from Turkey, I’m afraid, as Ireland went down 1-0 on a night which, above all, was a reminder that neither of these teams will be starring in Russia in a few months.

Shane Duffy was named the FAI Senior Player of the Year for 2017 last night but the big Brighton defender was unable to collect his award in person as the weather took its toll on the annual televised ceremony in RTÉ, with the programme having to be shortened from a scheduled running time of 90 minutes to one hour.

In calling up Declan Rice to his squad for this month’s training camp and friendly in Turkey, Martin O’Neill has stressed that the highly-rated young West Ham defender, who is still eligible to play senior football for both Ireland and England, will not come under any pressure to decide his international future.

Martin O'Neill has expressed his surprise at Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill's claim that the Republic of Ireland are targeting Catholic players from across the border.

Kevin Long is the only Corkman in the Ireland squad to grace the Premier League this season, but his journey from the Connolly Road to Turner’s Cross, and further afield to Burnley’s Turf Moor, has taken in a multitude of highs and lows. 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is anxiously awaiting a fitness report on leading scorer Mohamed Salah as he prepares for a second match inside 48 hours, writes Carl Markham

John Fallon looks back on Irish soccer’s 2017

Jesse Lingard’s second-half heroics may have plastered over some of the cracks in Manchester United’s season, but Jose Mourinho was left to count the cost of a damaging six days.

Someone in the Garda Press Office has posted a cheeky joke - with an important message - ahead of Ireland’s match with Denmark on Saturday.

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.

O'Neill selects a 25-man panel for two qualifiers against Georgia and Serbia.

Fantasy Premier League is back, and oh how we’ve missed it!

Fantasy Premier League is back, and oh how we’ve missed it!

Keith Andrews has lavished praise on Sean Maguire, saying the in-form striker is exactly what Ireland are crying out for, as Martin O’Neill prepares to name his squad for next month’s games against Georgia and Serbia.

Kevin Long appreciates he’s never going to reign supreme in a golf competition amongst his Burnley teammates but he’s well on course to winning a Premier League starting slot from Sean Dyche.

A new season and fresh venture looms for Jon Walters but the same desire endures as he contemplates a campaign which could culminate in Russia at the World Cup.

Burnley have signed Republic of Ireland striker Jonathan Walters from Stoke for an undisclosed fee.