A seven-hour crime “odyssey”, in which a Limerick gang targeted homes in outlying areas of the city, ended in a chase through fields, a court has heard.

A West of Ireland man who, for years, travelled through global hotspots, is now afraid here at home due to an attack carried out in Limerick, a court heard.

It is more than a quarter of a century since Roy Keane first togged out for Cobh Ramblers, but he was back at his old stomping ground last night, taking part in a charity fundraiser.

Stephen Kenny wants his Dundalk players to maintain their desire to help sustain their impressive start to the season.

An international courier company’s tracking system uncovered a sophisticated drugs trail stretching through the Netherlands, Germany, England, and the North to a rural cottage in Co Limerick, a court heard.

Cork City manager Tommy Dunne will be hoping to build on last week’s 3-1 victory over Airtricity League champions Sligo Rovers when they travel to take on bottom club Shelbourne at Tolka Park tonight (8pm).

It’s the weekend when some of the country’s top intermediate sides dream of causing a shock against Airtricity League opposition.

AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION

Sligo Rovers maintained their five point lead at the top of the Premier Division table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Shamrock Rovers cruised to a 3-0 victory over St. Patrick's Athletic in the big Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium.

New signing Anthony Elding made it two goals in as many games to get champions Sligo Rovers off to the perfect start in defence of their title as they beat FAI Cup holders Derry City 1-0 at the Brandywell as the Airtricity League season kicked off in earnest.

Two Limerick men were charged at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday with the murder of local businessman Roy Collins in 2009.

Bohemians 1 Drogheda United 4

Drogheda United 2 Shelbourne 1

The wisdom of the decision by the board of Shamrock Rovers to sack Stephen Kenny will receive its second big test today when the club takes on Drogheda United in the EA Sports Cup final at Tallaght Stadium (5.45pm).

St Patrick’s Athletic will give top scorer Christy Fagan and midfielder John Russell late fitness tests just before their FAI Ford Cup Quarter-Final replay against Drogheda United at Hunky Dorys Park.

Another tight encounter is likely this evening (7.45pm) when Drogheda United and St Patrick’s meet again — this time at Hunky Dorys Park — with a place in the FAI Cup semi-final at stake.

Shamrock Rovers kept alive their slim title hopes with a fully deserved victory over Drogheda United in a game that saw both sides finished with 10 men.

Declan O’Brien’s first-half goal proved enough for Drogheda as they cut Sligo’s lead at the top to a single point with a hard-earned win at Hunky Dorys Park.

Second-half goals by Paul Crowley and Peter Hynes secured a hard-earned victory for Drogheda against Bray at a blustery Hunky Dorys Park.

A brace of goals from Christy Fagan saw St. Patrick's Athletic come from behind to beat Bohemians 2-1 in a dramatic late, late show at Richmond Park.

Dundalk’s woeful run of Airtricity Premier League of Ireland home results continued last night, now having just one win in seven league games.

League leaders Sligo Rovers had captian Jason McGuinness sent off as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Bohemians.

The swapping of goals by Ryan McEvoy and Alan McNally shortly before half-time offered the promise of more to come in an open encounter at Dalymount.

Two of the Premier Division's form teams meet in a clash at Hunky Dorys Park tonight that could prove an indicator of both side's ambitions for the rest of the campaign.

Sligo Rovers, three points clear at the top of the Airtricity Premier Division, will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they travel to take on third-placed Drogheda United at Hunky Dory Park tonight (7.45pm).

UCD host a Drogheda United side that has gone seven games unbeaten since the opening day of the season.

Drogheda United will look to maintain their unbeaten run when they host Shelbourne at Hunky Dorys Park this evening.

Cork City boss Tommy Dunne was quick to insist there was much room for improvement after last week’s rousing 6-0 win over Monaghan United at Turner’s Cross.

After earning many plaudits for their stunning 5-1 defeat of Shamrock Rovers last week, St Patrick’s Athletic head to Hunky Dorys Park tonight well aware that the Louthmen are unbeaten in their past five Premier Division fixtures.

Mick Cooke will make his first return to Gortakeegan since stepping down to take over at Drogheda United at the beginning of the 2011 season as his side face Monaghan United tonight (kick off: 8pm)..

Surprise packets Drogheda continued their remarkable start to the season with this deserved victory over Derry City at Hunky Dorys Park.

Bray Wanderers will go into their clash with Drogheda full of confidence after securing their first win of the season last week against UCD.

Drogheda United 0 Dundalk 0

Gary Twigg was once again the goalscoring hero for Shamrock Rovers with a stoppage time equaliser earning them a 1-1 draw at Cork City to put the champions top of the Premier Division table.

Drogheda go into this Louth derby looking to pick up their first home league win over Dundalk since January 1998.

Cork City host a Premier Division game for the first time since 2009 when Drogheda United visit Turner’s Cross.

Shamrock Rovers will be hot favourites to make it two out of two when the champions play host to Monaghan United in the Airtricity League Premier Division at Tallaght Stadium tonight (8pm kick off, all other games 7.45pm).

It won’t be what pretenders to their throne want to hear on the eve of the new season, but three-in-a-row-chasing Shamrock Rovers are as driven as ever, according to striker Gary Twigg.

DERRY CITY confirmed third spot in the Premier Division following an entertaining 1-1 draw against St Patrick’s Athletic last night.

St Patrick’s Athletic will be looking to put the disappointment of their Cup exit behind them when they take on Derry City at Richmond Park tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

Shelbourne travel to Inchicore to face St Patrick’s Athletic in tonight’s FAI Ford Cup semi-final replay, kick-off 7.45pm.

St. Patrick’s Athletic 6 Galway United 1

TWO petrol bombs found stashed in the front garden of a house in Southill were intended for an attack on the nearby home of a key state witness due to give evidence against people in an organised crime trial, Limerick Circuit Court heard.