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.

Galway United 1 Monaghan United 3

MONAGHAN UNITED will meet Galway United in the promotion-relegation play-off this week after finishing third in the First Division.

THE penultimate night in the Airtricity League could see Shamrock Rovers crowned champions for the second year in succession — without even having to kick a ball.

RYAN BRENNAN was the hero for Monaghan United as he struck a late winner to send Roddy Collins’ side top of the First Division with a dramatic win at Fahy’s Field in Galway last night.

THE race for promotion to the Airtricity League Premier Division will go down to the wire after Cork City defeated nine-man Monaghan United 3-1 at Turner’s Cross last night.

FOR promotion contenders they might all be important games at this late stage of the First Division season but, even so, there’s a real six-pointer look about tonight’s meeting of Cork City and Monaghan United at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).

THE Brennan brothers each scored last night at Tolka Park as Monaghan United closed the gap to just four points on Shelbourne at the First Division summit.

AS A hotly contested Airtricity League season enters its final month, crucial points are up for grabs at the top of both the Premier and First Division tonight.

Shelbourne 1 Finn Harps 0

CORK CITY remain unbeaten after they came from behind twice to draw with Roddy Collins’ Monaghan United in front of 2,006 spectators at Turner’s Cross last night.

CORK CITY’s new cooperative owners yesterday appointed Tommy Dunne as their first team manager for the coming season. Dunne served as assistant manager with former Turner’s Cross chief Paul Doolin during the eventful 2009 season.

CORK CITY’S suspended players will turn up at training this morning despite a two-week club ban imposed on them for last week’s show of opposition against Tom Coughlan’s ownership of the League of Ireland outfit.

BOHEMIANS last night insisted that Pat Fenlon remained their manager despite claims he has agreed a deal to take over as Dundee United boss.

CORK CITY chairman Tom Coughlan has revealed that he is attempting to have Friday night’s League of Ireland Premier Division home fixture against Bray Wanderers brought forward 24 hours in order to facilitate a last ditch effort to save the stricken club.

HE’S the latest of the Irish football management wild geese to take wing to exotic foreign climes – and trust Roddy Collins to bid farewell to his home town with a memorable soundbyte.

BILLY WALSH admitted yesterday that he was irked by the suggestion from Belfast opponent James Gorman that he only had temporary custody of the All-Ireland welterweight championship belt.

Shamrock Rovers 1 Cork City 3

Shamrock Rovers' main purpose from tonight’s clash against Cork City at Dalymount Park is to get a big crowd as they look to ease their financial difficulties.

Midfielder Marc Kenny has parted company with Shamrock Rovers before a ball has been kicked this season.

New Dublin City manager Dermot Keely has begun his attempt at returning the Vikings to the top flight with three new signings for next season.

St Patrick’s Athletic can perform the last rites on Dublin City’s premier division status with a victory at Richmond Park tonight (7.45pm).

Former England international Carlton Palmer will be the centre of attention tonight when he makes his debut for Dublin City at Drogheda United (7.45pm).

Brendan Markey is in line for a return to Dublin City after hitting a hat-trick for the Vikings in a friendly against Leinster Senior League side Belgrove.

Dublin City chief executive Ronan Seery has backed manager Roddy Collins’ decision to put 15 of his first-team squad on the transfer list.

Dublin City have stepped into the breach to give English non-league side AFC Sudbury a friendly match in the capital tomorrow afternoon.

The magic of the FA Cup weekend will have a very strong Irish flavour, especially among the lower ranked teams writes Mark Gallagher