Eoin Doyle

RTÉ Sport soccer analyst

Lopes' World Cup heroics a story worth celebrating

Every so often in football, a story emerges that reminds us why we fell in love with the game in the first place, with Pico Lopes' qualification for the World Cup with Cape Verde a story worth celebrating.

Soccer • 17 Oct

Irish football has reason to hope, just not in Lisbon

After years of neglect, a funding commitment for our football academies offers much hope in a week where the national team face Portugal, looking to banish the horror of the no-show against Armenia.

Soccer • 10 Oct

Government has chance to make a lasting impact on game

Eoin Doyle is hoping next Tuesday's budget announcement will provide a boost to Irish football that will change the landscape of the game with targeted investment.

Soccer • 03 Oct

Remarkable champions-elect have answered all questions

Shamrock Rovers have responded to last year's so-called slump by putting the foot down and blowing the rest of the Premier Division away, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 26 Sep

Sligo and Galway face into defining stretch of season

After exiting the FAI Cup in very different circumstances, Sligo Rovers and Galway United must turn their attentions quickly back to the survival battle, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 19 Sep

Rock bottom not here yet, but it is coming

There are defeats you can rationalise, defeats you can live with, even defeats that leave you frustrated but still with a thread of hope. Ireland's loss to Armenia on Tuesday wasn't one of them, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 12 Sep

Hope springs Eternal thanks to Evan's Roman adventure

A sell-out Aviva Stadium on the eve of our opening qualifier against Hungary suggests that optimism is once again in the air – and, naturally, a lot of that hope is being pinned on the shoulders of one man: Evan Ferguson.

Soccer • 05 Sep

Worrying stat underpins night of double joy for LOI

In a week when Irish football had good reason to examine its flaws, its clubs gave us every reason to celebrate its potential.

Soccer • 29 Aug

Classics tee up most monumental night in LOI history

After one of the great European nights in League of Ireland history, Eoin Doyle says we are no longer asking whether our clubs can compete; now we're asking how far they can go.

Soccer • 22 Aug

Sligo's bit o' red card reversal must sharpen ref focus

There was a time not long ago when appealing a red card in the League of Ireland was a waste of paper, ink, and hope. However recent decisions point to a maturing league, writes Eoin Doyle, who is hoping for more incentives for referees to improve.

Soccer • 15 Aug