Former Ireland international Paddy Mulligan lost respect for Eamon Dunphy when he saw him shirk challenges in a green shirt.

As a new season kicks off, Liam Mackey takes a deep breath, dons a suit of armour and selects his top 25 League of Ireland players of all time. Be sure to let us know who you think the best player is.

Frank Lampard may equal Bobby Tambling’s Chelsea scoring record today, but the bond between the Stamford Bridge legends will always be stronger than stats. Kieran Shannon spoke to the Cork-based striker about Lampard, Jimmy Greaves and the swinging sixties in West London.

THEY’LL talk the talk with Bill O’Herlihy on Saturday night, but John Giles and Eamon Dunphy walked the walk for Ireland the last time Italy played for points in Dublin.

THEY are the boys of the 60s who have become men in their 60s but, when they get together in a room even 40 years on, there is still the warming afterglow of what must have seemed, at one time, like the endless summer of their youth.

HERE’S one to while away an idle year or two in the pub: select a first eleven from the ranks of Republic of Ireland internationals who have gone on to earn a crust as pundits and analysts on radio and television.