Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Graziano Pelle was back on the scoresheet for the Saints

Pelle brace secures the spoils for Southampton

Graziano Pelle ended a four-month wait for a goal with a first-half brace as Southampton defeated Stoke to go up to seventh in the Premier League table.

Soccer • 12 Mar 16

Max Gradel (r) fired the Cherries in front

Bournemouth win takes them closer to safety

Steve Cook looped in a crucial headed winner after Bournemouth had twice let the lead slip, allowing Eddie Howe's men to finally celebrate their first back-to-back home wins in the top flight on Saturday.

Soccer • 12 Mar 16

Sergio Aguero is challenged by Gary O'Neill

City's title hopes dented after latest stalemate

Manchester City's title aspirations slipped further in a goalless draw at Carrow Road which did little to boost Norwich's hopes of Premier League survival.

Soccer • 12 Mar 16

Danny North of Rovers celebrates the opener

Shamrock Rovers come good to see off Youths

Second-half goals from Danny North and Gary McCabe helped Shamrock Rovers claim an ultimately comfortable 2-0 victory over Wexford Youths in their Premier Division encounter at Tallaght Stadium.

Soccer • 11 Mar 16

Christy Fagan got the only goal of the game

Fagan goal see Saints past 10-man Longford

Longford Town were never likely to recover from the needless first-half sending off of captain Conor Powell as Christy Fagan got St Patrick’s Athletic’s season up and running with the only goal of the game at the City Calling Stadium.

Soccer • 11 Mar 16

Galway were celebrating again after making it two wins from two

Free-scoring Galway go top after Bray thrashing

Galway United cruised to an emphatic 4-0 SSE Airtricity League Premier Division win over Bray Wanderers at Eamonn Deacy Park, a result which sees them top the table.

Soccer • 11 Mar 16

Derry pick up first win in victory over Cork

Derry City deservedly picked up their first win of the campaign seeing off Cork City at the Brandywell, 1-0.

Soccer • 11 Mar 16

Slaven Bilic's West Ham side are in contention to earn a Champions League place

Slaven Bilic believes Premier hegemony is over

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic is confident that Leicester's remarkable rise heralds an end to a period of dominance by a select few clubs and is looking forward to a more unpredictable Barclays Premier League.

Soccer • 07 Mar 16

Salomon Rondon has bagged four goals in his last six league appearances

West Brom defeat 10-man Manchester United

Juan Mata's early red card was the catalyst for Manchester United's downfall as Salomon Rondon earned West Brom a 1-0 win which halted a run of four successive wins for Louis van Gaal's men.

Soccer • 06 Mar 16

Christian Benteke celebrates his late winner with his Liverpool team-mates

Ten-man Liverpool secure late win against Palace

Liverpool's 10 men secured a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace with a late penalty from Christian Benteke after goalkeeper Alex McCarthy gifted Roberto Firmino an equalising goal with a horror slip in the second half.

Soccer • 06 Mar 16

Riyad Mahrez fires home Leicester's winner

Mahrez’s goal sends Leicester five points clear

Riyad Mahrez’s superb strike earned Leicester a 1-0 victory against Watford as the Foxes took another step closer to completing the unthinkable and winning the Barclays Premier League.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Gylfi Sigurdsson shows his delight after netting the winning goal

Swansea win to move further clear of drop zone

Swansea provided the perfect pick-me-up for absent head coach Francesco Guidolin with a crucial win over relegation rivals Norwich.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Sunderland let it slip late on at St Mary's

Virgil Van Dijk stole 10-man Southampton a Premier League 1-1 draw with Sunderland at St Mary's. Jermain Defoe thought he had pinched Sunderland a priceless victory with his late goal, only for Van Dijk to hit back at the death.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles (c) reacts as Rob Elliott is beaten for Bournemouth's first goal

Bournemouth add to Newcastle's relegation woes

Josh King handed Bournemouth back-to-back Barclays Premier League victories and left troubled Newcastle staring relegation full in the face after the visitors recorded a 3-1 win at St James' Park.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Sergio Aguero hit two in a Manchester City cakewalk

City hammer doomed Villa to get back on track

Sergio Aguero struck twice as Manchester City scored four second-half goals to revitalise their title challenge with a 4-0 thrashing of basement side Aston Villa.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Dimitri Payet celebrates his dramatic late winner

Payet completes incredible West Ham comeback

Dimitri Payet's winner seconds before the end of normal time kept alive the dreams of Champions League-chasing West Ham against 10-man Everton, as they came from two down to win 3-2 at Goodison Park.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Mame Biram Diouf (r) rescued a point for Stoke

Stoke strike late to earn parity against Chelsea

Mame Diouf stunned Chelsea with a late equaliser as Stoke battled back to earn a draw at Stamford Bridge.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his equaliser at White Hart Lane

Tottenham and 10-man Arsenal share the spoils

Ten-man Arsenal came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Tottenham as the two north London clubs handed the Barclays Premier League title impetus to Leicester.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Brandon Miele opened the scoring at the Showgrounds

Shamrock Rovers punish ill-disciplined Sligo

Brandon Miele and Danny North were on the mark for Shamrock Rovers as they defeated nine-man Sligo Rovers 2-0 at the Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

Soccer • 05 Mar 16

Ciaran Kilduff celebrates scoring his first goal of the game

Dundalk begin title defence with win against Bray

SSE Airtricity League Champions Dundalk got right back into the groove as a double from Ciaran Kilduff and a third from Ronan Finn saw them see off Bray Wanderers 3-1 at the Carlisle Grounds.

Soccer • 06 Mar 16

Arsenal will be desperate to get their title challenge back on track after losing their last two matches

Premier League team news

All the latest team news ahead of this weekend's Barclays Premier League fixtures, including what could be one of the most crucial London derbies in the history of the Premier League as title contenders Tottenham host Arsenal.

Soccer • 04 Mar 16

An unmarked John Sullivan heads Galway in front at Richmond Park

Galway shock St Pat's at Richmond Park

John Sullivan and Enda Curran struck late goals as Galway United claimed a surprise 3-1 SSE Airtricity League Premier Division victory against St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.

Soccer • 04 Mar 16

Claudio Ranieri's Leicester lead the Premier League standings by three points

Claudio Ranieri rings imaginary bell for Foxes

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has given an insight into the imaginary bell routine he has been using to keep his players alert and smiling during their unlikely push for the Barclays Premier League title.

Soccer • 04 Mar 16

Republic of Ireland defender Marc Wilson will miss the clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Stoke battling to find fit defenders

Stoke's worsening injury problems have given Mark Hughes a defensive headache for the trip to resurgent Chelsea.

Soccer • 03 Mar 16

Arsenal and Tottenham played out a 1-1 draw in the Premier League in November

Pat Jennings puts Spurs v Arsenal in perspective

Former Tottenham and Arsenal goalkeeper Pat Jennings has warned against the north London rivals placing too much emphasis on their derby clash this weekend as they continue to battle for the Barclays Premier League title.

Soccer • 03 Mar 16