Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

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

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

Criticism of Drogheda's style is unfair and misplaced

In football, style of play has long been a subject of debate. From tika taka, to route one, to the low block, there's no shortage of philosophies and preferences.

Soccer • 08 Aug

O'Sullivan can master the impact of football's cruelty

Cathal O'Sullivan's upward trajectory has been blown off course by a second ACL injury, but as he's shown in the past, the Cork City man can triumph over adversity.

Soccer • 01 Aug

Zefi's stalled career shows domestic bliss can be best

Kevin Zefi left the League of Ireland for Italy in a blaze of publicity as a teenager, but his lining out for Sligo Rovers in a friendly last week shows the domestic game is a proven testing ground for young players with big ambitions, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 25 Jul

Cup shocks harder to find as wider gap emerges

Cup football used to be the great leveller, but now professionalism does the levelling – in favour of the stronger, fitter, sharper side.

Soccer • 18 Jul

We have been asking for European nights like these

It's nice when League of Ireland clubs walk into European ties with not just hope, but expectation.

Soccer • 11 Jul

Confidence heading into European duty a necessity

Strong domestic performances now can be the difference between going into Europe with rhythm or retreating with regrets.

Soccer • 04 Jul

If it's a rest Duff needed let's hope he is back soon

In a league which has been nothing but unpredictable, Damien Duff's resignation as Shelbourne manager still managed to land like a sledgehammer.

Soccer • 27 Jun

A year on, Sligo resolve best tribute to Tommie Gorman

As they strive to stay in the Premier Division, Sligo Rovers can draw on some inspiration in remembering devout fan, a year on from his passing.

Soccer • 20 Jun

Senegal - not Luxembourg - offer best test for Honohan

Tonight's friendly clash against Senegal can be viewed as a subtle barometer of Heimir Hallgrímsson's instincts and give us a glimpse at how Ireland may evolve ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 06 Jun

LOI's fountain of youth boosted by rare Brexit benefit

Week in, week out, we're watching young players not only step onto the pitch but genuinely shine in the League of Ireland arena.

Soccer • 30 May

'No one has timed their upswing better than Stephen Bradley's side'

Hoops threatening to make title race a procession

A few short weeks ago, we were teeing up the most open title race in recent League of Ireland memory. Yet as we approach the halfway point of the season, Shamrock Rovers have begun to pull away with a ruthless calm that has turned the narrative in their favour, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 23 May

'The reward for persistence, as any striker knows, is the glorious moment when the ball hits the net and the world goes quiet for half a second'

Mousset will be hoping to begin his feast after famine

Lys Mousset's story may have started slowly, but the hope for Bohemians fans is that it's far from finished, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 16 May

'Shels are just five points off top spot. In a campaign where no one is running away with it, that's a manageable gap'

Duff hoping injuries ease and system clicks for Pat's

Damien Duff will know better than anyone that his team's current form isn't good enough. Their form has dipped, no wins in five, but the performances haven't always reflected the results.

Soccer • 09 May

'The race for Europe, and potentially the title, is not just wide open, it's chaotic and gloriously unpredictable'

Seven different dreams alive in scrap for glory

Fans across the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division are being rewarded with high-stakes drama almost every week as the league refuses to settle down.

Soccer • 02 May

' if Irish football continues to lose in the court of public opinion, all the pathways in the world won't get us to where we need to go'

Vital the FAI learn lessons of Canham's flawed tenure

Marc Canham's sudden exit as FAI chief football officer may have caught some off guard, but not those paying close attention to the state of Irish football, according to Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 25 Apr

'No team fears Derry. And that's a problem'

Mediocrity no option for expensively assembled Derry

RTÉ Soccer analyst Eoin Doyle examines Derry City under new boss Tiernan Lynch and why money isn't buying happiness so far.

Soccer • 18 Apr

'A fixture that served up some of last season's finest drama now arrives with even more weight and anticipation'

Richmond Park encounter a pivotal clash to savour

Eoin Doyle looks forward to a fascinating clash between Stephen Kenny's St Patrick's Athletic and Damien Duff's Shelbourne at Richmond Park tonight.

Soccer • 04 Apr

'The anger now spilling out from club representatives is rooted in that feeling of being misled and frustrated by a lack of results'

FAI must deliver on academy funding or let clubs lead

As League of Ireland clubs continue to wait on Government funding for their academies, Eoin Doyle asks whether the FAI are showing enough initiative and leadership.

Soccer • 28 Mar

Eoin Doyle: 'A professional and effective performance in Plovdiv with glimpses of attacking promise, Ireland's 2-1 win over Bulgaria was a step in the right direction'

Attacking options give Hallgrimsson welcome headache

Eoin Doyle feels last night's win in Plovdiv was a night where the Republic of Ireland showed they are slowly evolving under Heimir Hallgrimsson.

Soccer • 21 Mar

'A big factor in their success is Kevin Doherty himself'

Clever loans and Doherty diligence behind Drogheda rise

At the start of the season, few would have predicted that Drogheda United would be leading the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division after five games. But they have defied all expectations, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 14 Mar

'Amidst all the chaos, St Patrick's Athletic have quietly gone about their business'

Upside down table of a strong league bad news for Hoops

The strength of this year's Premier Division could be bad news for Shamrock Rovers, writes Eoin Doyle.

Soccer • 07 Mar