McClean is enjoying a resurgence of form under Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill at Stoke, with talk of a possible all-Ireland Euros qualifier so far confined to some good-natured joshing.

McKenna Cup specialists Tyrone lifted their eighth title in nine seasons with an uninspiring win over Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds.

"I am getting married next year. We are building a house and I just qualified as a teacher... I am not prepared to make those sacrifices anymore."

It’s GAA convention season, in case you hadn’t noticed, and whether by accident or design, an important theme has been running through the many end-of-year reports and speeches scripted by under pressure and, in some cases, under-fire county board officers.

Slovakia have been given until December 20 to decide whether to host the Republic of Ireland in Trnava or Bratislava next March as Uefa continued planning for the Euro 2020 play-off draw on Friday morning.

Events in Cardiff tomorrow will dictate the identity of Ireland’s opponents in the Euro 2020 Path B play-off semi-final match on Tuesday, March 26.

Picture the young James McClean when he first wore a Sunderland jersey. Memories stir of a fearless winger slaloming down the touchline. It seemed, even then, to be almost old-fashioned in a league that was no longer so in thrall to the hustle and bustle of years gone by.

Nathan Collins is confident that decimated Ireland can keep their U21 European Championship challenge on course in Armenia today.

Brian Lohan has been appointed Clare hurling manager, his ratification arriving at the outset of a county board meeting dominated by the social media abuse directed at members of the executive.

It will be at least another three weeks before Clare will appoint a senior hurling manager for 2020.

All-Ireland champions Cork and beaten finalists Galway lead the way in the Electric Ireland minor football team of the year, with four players from either county selected.

All-Ireland minor winning manager Bobbie O’Dwyer had laid much of the credit for the turnaround in Cork’s football fortunes at the doorstep of Conor Counihan.

Earlier this summer, the Cork minor footballers had shown admirable resilience when picking themselves up off the floor following a 19-point thumping at home to Kerry and successfully keeping their season alive eight days later in Ennis.

A brilliant start to the first period of extra-time, which included a goal after 18 seconds, delivered Cork a first All-Ireland minor football title since 2000 and a first underage double in 38 years.

Cork City officials refused to reschedule an interview with Jim Magilton before opting to offer Neale Fenn the vacant manager’s position earlier this week.

Cork’s quest for a first All-Ireland minor title since 2000 remains on course after they held off a good comeback by Monaghan in an exciting clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Three unanswered points approaching the finish were central in propelling Kerry to a seventh consecutive Munster MFC title and, in the process, stretching to 33 the county’s unbeaten run at this grade.

Paddy McNair’s first international goal saw Northern Ireland snatch a 1-0 win over Belarus and make it four wins out of four in Euro 2020 qualifying.

Clontarf centre Sean O’Brien is determined to follow in his older brother Conor’s footsteps and win an All-Ireland League title at the Aviva Stadium next Sunday.

THE 12 participants in Rubicon Centre’s 2019 New Frontiers programme were inspired at this week’s awards ceremony by guest speaker Peter Coppinger’s unique business journey.

Clare will face Tipperary in the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL final, having beaten Waterford in Fraher Field, Dungarvan in front of 3,039 spectators.

Northern Ireland are hoping to convince promising defender Jimmy Dunne to switch allegiances from the Republic of Ireland.

Billy Connolly’s love of football, like a slick passing move from one penalty box to another, can be traced back through the length of his long career, writes Brendan O'Brien

Cratloe 1-14 Kilmaley 0-16

Declan Rice has not been included in England’s squad for next week’s Nations Cup clash with Spain at Wembley, with manager Gareth Southgate saying that Rice has a “really difficult decision” to make about his international future.

Mickey Harte has promised to continue rotating his goalkeepers and to return Niall Morgan to the nets for next weekend’s final round qualifier.

A mother who is pleading for a licence for medicinal cannabis for her sick toddler who suffers from seizures plans to climb Croagh Patrick this Sunday in order to highlight her plight.

Martin O’Neill says he could turn to Bohemians stopper Shane Supple to alleviate his goalkeeping crisis.

SHAMROCK Rovers’ training base at Kingswood was bathed in brilliant sunshine yesterday but manager Stephen Bradley and his players badly need a pick-me-up result against Limerick in Tallaght tonight (8pm) to dispel the dark clouds which currently assail the club.

This week is the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill accepts that player eligibility is a football issue not a political or religious one, but has criticised the FAI for their communication with the IFA over players who wish to switch allegiance from the North to the Republic.

After the big freeze, the thaw, but you suspect that not even the most advanced computer models could have predicted that the temperature of Irish football would rise as dramatically as it has done over the past few days.

Martin O’Neill says he has made known to Michael O’Neill his disappointment at the Northern Ireland manager’s recent criticism of the FAI’s recruitment of players north of the border.

The IFA have said that Michael O’Neill was speaking “in a personal capacity” when he criticised the FAI’s recruitment of players from Northern Ireland and charged that they only approach Catholics.

Sean Maguire might have hogged the goals and the headlines in Cork City ’s title success last year but arguably no player more completely embodied the collective team effort underlying that achievement – and the cup triumph which made it such a momentous year for the club — than Conor McCormack.

The Republic of Ireland are set to play Northern Ireland in a friendly this November, it has been announced this afternoon.

Against the lure of leaving for a higher seeded nation in Scotland, Michael O’Neill believes his relevant voice in the Northern Ireland dressing-room was central to him staying.

Former Scotland striker Charlie Nicholas has labelled the Scottish Football Association an "embarrassment" over its failed pursuit of Michael O’Neill.

With Martin O’Neill’s position as Ireland manager moving closer to the brink than it’s ever been before over the last 48 hours, the question of who might succeed him — whether that’s sooner or later — has gained fresh momentum.

Northern Ireland face a huge battle to keep hold of in-demand manager Michael O’Neill after the Scottish Football Association yesterday made an official approach for the Armagh man.

Northern Ireland defender Corry Evans was forced to apologise last night for a foul-mouthed racist rant from his wife on Twitter over the Romanian referee’s controversial penalty award for Switzerland at Windsor Park on Thursday.

Northern Ireland 0 Switzerland 1

Steven Davis will earn his 100th Northern Ireland cap tomorrow night but he insists the World Cup play-off with Switzerland is more important than such personal landmarks.