Champions Dundalk bounced back from last week’s first defeat of the season with an assured performance against Finn Harps in Ballybofey.

Depending on what route you take, it’s a journey of about four hours from John Evans’ native Killorglin to Aughrim, Wicklow GAA’s county ground.

Premier Division football returned to Tolka Park after a six-year absence — but there was no fairytale homecoming for Shelbourne as they came up just short in an enthralling encounter with Dundalk.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire: after losing their opening game at home to promoted Shelbourne last week, Cork City tomorrow night face the daunting task of taking on FAI Cup-winners and predicted title contenders Shamrock Rovers in the new-look side’s their first away test of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season.

Champions Dundalk opened their season with a victory for the first time in three seasons as Dane Massey popped up with a 79th-minute winner to break Derry City hearts at Oriel Park.

Dundalk might not begin the defence of their league title until they play Derry City next week, but midfielder Jordan Flores insists he doesn’t regard tomorrow’s President’s Cup game against Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park as a preliminary event.

Just as everything came right for Clare as they recovered from an 0-8 to 0-6 deficit early in the second half to hit five out of the last seven points for victory, it went horribly wrong for Kildare

Clare dug deep to claim their first win of the National League campaign with a deserved one-point success over 14-man Kildare in Ennis.

West Brom have announced the signing of Republic of Ireland forward Callum Robinson on loan for the rest of the season.

Cork showed that they are in fine shape to defend their U20 All-Ireland title after they defeated Kildare in the John Kerins Cup final.

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions Dundalk have signed England underage international midfielder Will Patching.

Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth said his side would learn lessons from their FAI Cup final defeat to Shamrock Rovers and hinted that they are close to strengthening their midfield options ahead of next season.

The Shamrock Rovers boss took the moment in, through a millisecond of tranquillity.

A match between two teams who have provided nine of the 11 players in the 2019 PFAI team of the year.

When Ronan Finn mentions that he’s “coming up on 32,” the symmetry is irresistible: Shamrock Rovers have been trying to win the FAI Cup all his life.

Dundalk boss Vinny Perth has said that Dundalk will not get into “excuse-making mode” about the shock loss of Chris Shields through suspension for the FAI Cup Final against Shamrock Rovers.

While it may not have had the same importance as recent meetings between the sides, Cork City's victory over Dundalk was lustily hailed by the home crowd.

The winger has been one of Dundalk's star players this year and had month to remember, scoring three goals.

Brilliant Bohemians smashed Dundalk’s domestic 31-match unbeaten run last night to all but secure their place in Europe next season.

With the celebrations still in full swing around him at Oriel Park after Dundalk’s title-clinching 3-2 victory over Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, Vinny Perth took the opportunity to reveal that replicating Derry City’s unique 1989 treble was something he and his players had consciously set as a target at the start of this season.

Bantry Blues and Bandon will have to do it all over again following an entertaining Cork PIFC quarter-final in Dunmanway yesterday afternoon.

Cork manager Ronan McCarthy is opposed to the introduction of a second-tier football championship.

New Kildare senior football manager Jack O’Connor says he is undeterred by the lengthy commute from South Kerry.

Dundalk have extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division to 10 points tonight.

Dundalk remain four points clear at the top of the Premier Division following a comfortable 3-0 win over UCD in Belfield last night.

Two goals inside the opening 33 minutes from Rafael Ratão and Aleksandar Čavrić killed the game as a contest and while the Lilywhites never gave up, even briefly threatening a mini-revival when Michael Duffy pulled one back midway through the second half, this ultimately proved a challenge too far.

Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth has called on his side to be brave as they bid to turn things around against Slovan Bratislava in Tallaght Stadium tonight.

James Rogers Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth believes it will be important to score when his side face Slovan Bratislava tonight.

Jack O’Connor is the front-runner to replace Cian O’Neill as Kildare senior football manager.

Gutsy Dundalk will go to Azerbaijan next week with a genuine opportunity of reaching the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth has challenged his players to “step up” when they welcome Qarabag to Oriel Park for tonight’s Champions League Second Qualifying Round first-leg tie.

Jamie McGrath hopes his record against sides from Azerbaijan continues when their national champions, Qarabag, face Dundalk in the Champios League tomorrow night.

Kildare are on the lookout for a new football manager after Cian O’Neill’s decision to end his four-year involvement with the Lilywhites.

Dundalk will have to score in Latvia next Wednesday to keep their Champions League dreams alive after a frustrating stalemate with Riga FC at Oriel Park tonight.

Vinny Perth might be taking charge of his first Champions League match when Dundalk take on Riga FC at Oriel Park tonight but the experience built up in recent years means he won’t be taking the Latvians lightly.

Colchester United loanee, Junior Uzokwe, was hailed a hero at the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium, the tricky winger snatching maximum points away from Dundalk when netting a 94th minute equaliser for Derry City.

Dundalk made it eight league wins in a row to cement their eight-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table with a comfortable victory over Waterford FC at Oriel Park last night.

Mickey Harte expects his players to draw on their vast experience of the qualifiers and use it to inject positive energy into today’s clash with Kildare.

Seán Gannon’s 73rd-minute goal was the difference at Tallaght last night, as Dundalk edged a nail-biting affair against Shamrock Rovers.

Football is at risk of being “destroyed” until such time as a fair and equitable

Eoin Bagnall scored eight points as Kildare saw off Laois in Portlaoise to book their place in the Leinster Minor Football final for the sixth time in seven years.

Warm June rain greeted us as we exited Croke Park yesterday with smiles on the faces of the Royal supporters, in particular. Dublin pelleted over points for fun while both Kildare and Laois squandered some great goal chances. The centurion Cluxton culled the Lillies’ goal efforts and the quality of the forward play and score-taking was exceptional, at times, from all four participating teams.