Emotional, fantastic, amazing. Those were some of the words Wes Hoolahan used as he reflected on his last game as a Norwich player.

Meet the New Firm. Same as the Old Firm. Except different.

Dundalk goalkeeper Gary Rogers has already hit a few landmarks this season but he is aiming to mark his latest with a clean sheet at Turner’s Cross tomorrow night.

The Irish football year was book-ended and overshadowed by the tragic deaths of Derry City skipper Ryan McBride and the young Shelbourne striker Izzy Desu, writes Liam Mackey.

John Fallon looks back on Irish soccer’s 2017

Stephen Kenny hasn’t had too many disappointments in his time as Dundalk manager but perhaps top of the list is last year’s FAI Cup final defeat to Cork City.

Cork City v Dundalk: Before a ball was kicked, Cork City had one over their great rivals Dundalk this season.

In what looks like being his final game for the club, Robbie Brady showed the Norwich supporters what they’ll miss if he finally completes a move to Burnley, providing a typically pinpoint set-piece delivery to create the second goal in the Canaries’ 2-0 Championship victory over Birmingham.

And we still have Southampton v Arsenal to come….

Ireland’s clashes with Wales, involving two evenly matched teams, will be decisive next year, writes Liam Mackey.

Nobody in the ilk of Damien Duff has graced the Ireland squad since the magician retired after Euro 2012, but Daryl Horgan hopes the similarities in appearance noticed by his new teammates yesterday can in some way be replicated in a football sense.

“You just can’t write it can you?” beamed John Mountney after playing his part in helping Dundalk to their third league title success in-a-row on Sunday night.

A disparity in resources off the pitch was eventually mirrored by those on the Lansdowne Road turf.

Ross Gaynor has always let his football do the talking, even if sometimes it has landed him in trouble.

Jon Walters capped a memorable weekend and a memorable year when, having scored for Stoke City in their 2-1 win at Watford on Saturday, he was last night named Ireland’s Player of 2015 at the annual FAI/3 International Awards.

Love/Hate actor John Connors features in I Am Traveller on RTÉ2 on Thursday.

Richie Towell was last night named the SSE Airtricity/ Soccer Writers of Ireland ‘Personality Of The Year’.

Who pushed the boundaries this year?

Richie Towell says it will be a privilege to work under former Ireland international and coach Chris Hughton but insists he also plans to give the Brighton manager a selection headache.

Stephen Kenny hailed 2015 as “an epic season” for Dundalk after his back-to-back champions did the double by beating Cork City 1-0 in the FAI Cup final yesterday.

Now that the tedious Jack Grealish saga is over, would not Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane look closer to home and give a chance to skilful young players such as Dundalk’s Richie Towell, who would love to play for Ireland without having to emigrate?

Dundalk 6 Drogheda Utd 0: Dundalk took another huge step towards retaining the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title with a crushing victory of neighbours Drogheda Utd in last night’s Louth derby at Oriel Park.

The top two in the league will be hoping to remain on course for the ultimate cup clash at the Aviva Stadium when the FAI Cup quarter-finals take place this evening.

Dundalk 2 Bohemians 2: Richie Towell netted a 94th-minute equaliser for Dundalk last night against Bohemians to keep the leaders eight points clear at the summit of the League of Ireland Premier Division.