The Republic of Ireland are away to the Czech Republic on March 26, with the winners set to progress to face either Denmark or North Macedonia for a place at the World Cup finals in North America.

Tiger Woods is first choice to take over US captaincy.

Iran have qualified for the finals of the World Cup, which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July,

Scott Robertson had stepped down from the role in mid-January after a critical review.

Mo Salah cancelled out Rodrigo Gomes’ opener for a side that knows they are still going to get relegated but it remained a night to forget for those of a Kop persuasion thanks to a Wolves winner that was deflected in by a Gomez - Liverpool’s Joe Gomez.

Melvine Malard’s quickfire brace silenced a record crowd of 8,376 for a women’s international at Tallaght, overturning the lead Ireland took through captain Katie McCabe.

It took Melvine Malard to rescue the French but Ireland had two handball claims for a penalty rejected late on before Denise O’Sullivan was a whisker away from eking out a point.

Here, we assess the state of play for the Irish on the turn towards the biggest week in Irish football for eight years. Two games away from a first World Cup for 24 years is a tantalising prospect.

Ticket prices are becoming as much a headline as the matches themselves for this year's World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada

McCabe's Arsenal contract runs out at the end of the season and will not be renewed

The Fifa president’s sycophancy towards the US president has left the organisation facing a new nadir, but any reckoning seems a distant prospect

The reigning Masters champion teed it up at one of golf's most famous courses and shot a best-ball 63 alongside Gerry to win the gross division

You start to believe the silent majority is not okay with it being business as usual.

“When France and Netherlands are on it, they can be completely unplayable," said Ireland head coach Carla Ward. “But when they’re not, there’s areas to exploit."

Sections of Irish fans questioned the English-born player’s commitment when he’d reappear in Ipswich’s matchday squad immediately after international breaks he’d been ruled out of through injury

It is a thin line between triumph and disaster as much as the silverware itself that has made Irish golf's golden generation all such compulsive viewing.

Initiative allows global audiences — and those unable to travel the route — to experience the journey

Ireland take on Les Bleus at Talaght on Tuesday evening.

Jordan Pickford’s ‘best save ever’, Antoine Semenyo’s shifting mentality and Liverpool’s set-piece threat grows

The Irishman stood on the 16th tee at PGA National with a three-shot lead and in supreme command before unravelling with back-to-back double bogeys which handed the title to Nico Echavarria