The key stories developing today

Pico Lopes not looking too far ahead as next up could be Messi matchup: ‘We know what happens if we win, we are in the next round’

World Cup hero Pico Lopes will continue to take it one game at a time as Cape Verde edge ever closer to the second phase of the World Cup - and a possible date with the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina.

Speaking to Macdara Ferris from Extratime.ie in the mixed zone after Sunday’s superb 2-2 draw with two timer world champions Uruguay, Shamrock Rovers captain Lopes reflected on another big result for his national team.

A win against Saudi Arabia in Houston on Friday night - 1am Irish time Saturday morning - will guarantee Cape Verde emerge from their group after the draws against Spain and Uruguay while a draw might be enough to send them through.

“We won’t get too far ahead of who we will be playing,” said Lopes. “We have to respect Saudi Arabia. They are a really strong team. We have to try and win the game. That has to be the goal. We won’t get ahead of ourselves. It is all about recovering now. Working hard towards that game.

“We know what happens if we win, we are in the next round. It doesn’t matter what position you finish in the group, once you are there (in the knockout phase), that is the main thing.”

“Since we arrived, that was our goal,” said the Shamrock Rovers skipper about looking to make it out of the group. We got here on merit.

“You don’t win a prize to get to the World Cup. You have to compete, you have to qualify and it is difficult to get here. Now you are mixing it with some of the best teams in the world.

“Our goal was to attack the first game and show that we belong here. Nothing changed for the second game. We wanted to try and get three points. We got a point and it is another point nearer where we want to be. We have a good opportunity to reach the next phase which would be amazing for our group.

“It is something that we want, it is part of our goals, just to show we deserve to be at this level.”

Read the full story on extratime.ie here.

Eoin Kenny’s brilliant performance and match winning goal in Friday night’s 2-1 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park has reinforced his manager Ciaran Kilduff’s view that the striker will play senior international football.

Kenny, son of former Irish boss Stephen and born in Derry when his dad was manager at City, has already won eight Under 21 caps for Northern Ireland and Kilduff told the Irish Independent there is more to come from the 20-year-old.

Asked if Kenny and other young players in his squad will play international football, Kilduff said: “Without a doubt, I can see a lot of them [get capped], I’m telling you now. Sometimes it’s who shouts the loudest.

“I think for a newly promoted team, for what we’re doing here, it can’t go unnoticed. I don’t want to be the one coming out going ‘my players have to be picked’. But we’re at the top end of the table, we’re on a great run, we’re competing and playing to that level there.”

Read the story on the irish independent here.

Nottingham Forest have joined the chase for Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan but the youngster is expected to move to Dutch football with Ajax when he turns 18 at the end of July.

John Fallon reports in the Irish Examiner that Forest have made a late bid to entice Noonan to the Premier League.

Former Irish midfielder Andy Reid is on the coaching staff at Forest and could be a factor in the final decision by Noonan who has already played at every age level for Ireland up to Under 21.

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

Finn Harps are in talks with a foreign based investor who is proposing to take financial control of the club and fund their share of the new stadium development in Stranorlar.

Donegal Daily’s Chris McNulty filed an exclusive report at the weekend which confirmed that a formal expression of interest from the investor has been received by the First Division club.

McNulty reports that shareholders of the Finn Harps Co-Operative Society Ltd will be asked to vote on the proposal next month.

Read the full article on the donegal daily here.

Ireland international Lily Agg made the perfect start to her managerial career as Athlone Town defeated Shamrock Rovers 3-1 in the Women’s Premier Division game.

Agg is currently recovering from a ruptured achilles and is some way off a playing debut for Town in her first management role but will be happy with the win which moves her side within one point of league leaders Galway United.

Read the full story on rte sport here.

The key stories developing today

Ireland manager Carla Ward got the trip to Kazakhstan and the tie she doesn’t want in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-offs next month - but a return to Cork is on the cards for a winner takes all clash with recent foes Belgium or Poland.

A place at next year’s finals in Brazil is at stake when Ireland go to Kazakhstan for the first left of the semi-finals against the side ranked 100th in the world.

Belgium or Poland will meet in the other semi-final - Ireland beat Poland home and away in the Nations League recently and defeated Belgium 5-4 on aggregate in the NL play-offs last year.

RTE Sport reports on Ward’s reaction to the draw when she said: “When you want to get to Brazil it’s going to be a difficult route and I think there’s a couple of bits in both rounds that will naturally cause us some difficulties.

“We’ve been in tremendous form and confidence is high. We have to keep believing that we can get there, and we’ll do everything we can to do that.

“I think everybody in the room would probably say that it was the one that everyone wanted to avoid, Belgium and Poland are top sides.

“First of all we’ve got to get past Kazakhstan, it’s not easy, it’s a logistical nightmare. Kazakhstan, Poland and Belgium are all going to be difficult. So look, we’ll do everything we can to get over that first hurdle and then obviously try and navigate that final round if and when we get there.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice about Cork. I absolutely love it down there and I think the players do too. It’s not been confirmed where we’ll play, but we would love to have one in Dublin and one in Cork. I think that would be the ultimate dream. We’ll have to wait and see and let the powers that be look after that side of it.”

Read the full story on rte sport here.

Ireland’s Nations League clash with Israel has hit the headlines again after the Palestine Football Association distanced itself from the FAI statement confirming that the ‘home’ game will now be played at a neutral venue.

The FAI had quoted support from the PLA when they made their original announcement but a new statement has confirmed the PLA’s objections to any Israeli involvement in sport.

The Irish Sun reports that a PFA spokesperson said: “The PFA has not issued any statement endorsing, approving, or supporting the decision to proceed with the match. Any interpretation suggesting that the PFA has given its blessing to the fixture does not accurately reflect our position.

“The PFA also wishes to reiterate its deep appreciation for the historic solidarity shown by the Irish people and for the principled positions repeatedly expressed by the Football Association of Ireland, Irish clubs, supporters, players, trade unions, civil society organisations, and public representatives in the support of Palestinian rights and human dignity.

“At the same time, our position regarding Israeli football remains unchanged and unequivocal. Palestinian football is enduring one of the darkest periods in its history.

“For this reason, the PFA rejects any characterisation that could be interpreted as providing political or moral cover for Israel’s continued participation in international football while these grave violations persist.

“The PFA would not, and will not, be party to any effort that normalises these realities or contributes to the sportwashing of crimes committed against the Palestinian people.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

The Board of the FAI is now expected to call an EGM to discuss the decision to move the Israel game to a neutral venue after rejecting a call for such a meeting because not enough delegates had formally put their names to the request.

The request was made by 14 parties but the FAI has confirmed in a letter to AGM members that two of those were not from FAI members and thus the call for an EGM was invalid.

The Irish Independent reports that the FAI told members: “Only letters from members of the FAI can be counted for the purposes of the constitutional requisition threshold.

“Accordingly, the requisition received on or around 29 May 2026 is invalid and does not require the board to convene an extraordinary general meeting.

“The board is considering how best to facilitate appropriate discussion of the issues raised, including the possibility of the board itself convening an extraordinary general meeting of the general assembly.”

Read the story on the irish independent here.

Celtic will have to wait to commence their defence of the Scottish Premiership title defence due to a combination of the Commonwealth Games and two Calvin Harris concerts - and the BBC reports that club officials are not best pleased.

Derek McInnes will start his new life as Rangers boss on Friday July 31st at Dundee United but Celtic won’t play Dundee until the Monday evening.

“We feel strongly a weekend timing should have been facilitated in the interests of both teams, both sets of supporters and the status of the fixture,” said a statement from Celtic who will play Rangers for the first time next season on September 20th.

Read the full article on bbc sport here.

Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds wants to sign on-loan midfielder Harry Vaughan on a permanent deal when his Hull City contract expires at the end of the month.

The Irish Mirror reports that Reynolds wants the deal wrapped up before the Europa Conference League game against St Joseph’s of Gibraltar next month.

Reynolds said: “There’s talks going on at the minute. He’s enjoying it, obviously looking at the European football and so on. So, we should know more in the next... Look, he’s out of contract so, the ball’s in his court, really, isn’t it? We’d like to keep him.”

Read the full story on the irish mirror here.

The key stories developing today

Robbie Keane has revealed he lasted 10 minutes more than Mick McCarthy watching the movie Saipan and has branded it as rubbish.

In Los Angeles for the World Cup, Keane told the Rio Ferdinand podcast that he only watched 20 minutes of the Steve Coogan movie before leaving the cinema.

McCarthy walked out of a London screening of the movie about the 2002 World Cup row after just 10 minutes and Keane stayed for just 10 minutes more when he went to see it.

Now he has urged Ireland fans not to bother with the movie, available online after a cinema run earlier this year.

“Whatever you do, don’t watch the movie Saipan and think that’s what happened. It’s absolutely a load of crap. I watched 20 minutes and I walked out. Just make sure, clear that,” said Keane, as reported by Balls.ie.

“Myself and Damien Duff played at a high level, we were more professional than anyone. That movie doesn’t give that to the players, all the players.

“It was two minutes, 90 seconds maybe, that Roy and Mick went back at each other, and that was it, Roy left. That was all that happened.

“I’ve been in dressing rooms where players argue with the manager, it happens all the time. I would just say, both of them, I’m sure they’re sick of it after 24 years. They’re still talking about it every time the World Cup comes up. Come on, let’s move on from this.

“I don’t even think there was a sauna in the hotel, there was a scene in the steam room. It also takes away from how well we did in the tournament.”

Keane added: “Me and Damien Duff were kids! We didn’t know what was going on.

“Me and Duffer, a lot of young lads in the squad, we were just ecstatic to be there at the World Cup. Of course, this happened. I still can’t believe that that Saipan thing is going on after 24 years.”

Read the full story on balls.ie here.

Former Ireland striker Tony Cascarino has hit out at Portugal striker Ronaldo and his manager Roberto Martinez after the legend’s poor showing against DC Congo in Wednesday’s World Cup opener.

Ronaldo has been roundly criticised for his poor performance as Portugal struggled against the African side in the 1-1 draw while Cascarino has rounded on Martinez for lacking the bottle to take the 41-year-old off.

Speaking live on talkSPORT 2’s coverage, Cas said: “I’m trying to be as kind as I can… but he [Ronaldo] was really off it. And he just looks like time has caught up with him.

“He hasn’t got the pace. He’s not even got the energy to pick up the ball. I remember Ronaldo as that winger that just got the ball and drove at people. Ok, he’s aged, he’s not that type of player anymore, but he offered nothing to the Portuguese team.

“I can’t believe Martinez has kept him on. I’m thinking, ‘This is your job - does he just want to keep friends with Ronaldo? Do you want to stay on his side?’

“You’ve got to take people off. If that’s the decision that improves the team and gives the best chance of winning, you’ve got to make it as a manager.

“And I know he’s going to leave at the end of this term. This felt like it is a manager just going, ‘I’m gonna stay pals with my mate Ronaldo’.”

Read the story on talksport here.

The American authorities have sorted a World Cup visa for the mother Cape Verde hero Vozinha who will now be in the stands when they face Uruguay in Miami on Sunday.

Vozinha was in tears after his outstanding performance against Spain in the scoreless draw when he revealed his mum couldn’t afford the price of the visa and the flights to America for his World Cup bow.

But now mum Ana Evora has confirmed to the BBC that she will attend Sunday’s game. “I’m very happy,” she said.

“This is happening so fast, but I’m quite happy anyway. I’m going to see my son playing in the World Cup, God willing. I’m going there to support him, to give him strength and courage. I’m going to give him a hug after the game.”

Read the story on bbc sport here.

Shane Long has spoken of his regret at not reaching 100 caps for Ireland after retiring in 2021 with 88 appearances for his country.

Speaking at a Movember launch, Long told the Irish Mirror: “It would have been amazing to get to the 100 caps, but I suppose I’m getting greedy now …to get 88 caps is amazing, but yeah, it would have been nice to get that 100.

“You ask any players if there are any moments they’d like to get back to it. There is. One-on-one chances I’d missed, or penalties or taps in or whatever, but that’s part of football, that’s part of me growing as a player and learning.

“But yeah, if I could change one thing, it would be to get to that hundred caps.”

Read the full article on the irish mirror here.

Irish midfielder Connor Ronan has swapped Denver for Aberdeen and signed for the Scottish Premier League side after three years in the MLS with the Colorado Rapids according to the Irish Sun.

Former Irish under 21 winger Ronan said: “Aberdeen is a huge football club with big ambitions and that’s difficult to turn down. I want to be part of helping the Club compete at the top end of the table, return to Europe and challenge for trophies.”

Read the full story on the irish sun here.

The key stories developing today

Just as Declan Rice prepares to kick-off his 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with England, so Roy Keane has had another pop at the player’s Ireland past - and reminded Gary Neville that the Arsenal midfielder once kissed the Irish badge on his shirt.

Rice will be vice-captain when England take on Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday, his second appearance at a World Cup finals with the land of his birth.

But former Irish assistant Keane hasn’t forgotten - or even forgiven - the fact that Rice made three international appearances for Ireland before he switched allegiances in 2019.

Assistant to Martin O’Neill when Rice appeared in those three friendlies, Keane brought the player’s history up again on the Stick To Football podcast ahead of the game in Dallas.

The Irish Sun reports that as Gary Neville and Ian Wright discussed the best England team from different generations, they both included Rice in their selections.

Then Neville ‘teased’ Keane according to the report when he said: “You’re just a bit upset still because he didn’t choose Ireland, aren’t you?”

But Keane hit back by stating: “No, he did choose Ireland. He played for Ireland, so he did choose them. He changed his mind. He did play for them, he kissed the badge as well in one game.”

Read the full story on the irish sun here.

He may have missed out on the Celtic job as Martin O’Neill signed on for another year at Parkhead but Robbie Keane could yet return to management in Scotland - with Hearts.

Rangers are set to bring Derek McInnes from Easter Road to Ibrox as replacement for Danny Rohl with Keane now installed as one of the favourites to take over Hearts according to the Scottish Sun.

The paper reports that Keane is one of the top three candidates to land the job according to the bookies with Dutch duo Rene Hake and Dick Schreuder just ahead of him in the markers.

Keane, who held talks with Dermot Desmond around the Celtic job but drew fierce criticism from some supporters over his time in Israel, is in the market for a new job after leaving Fernencvaros in Hungary at the end of the season.

Hake previously managed FC Twente and Go Ahead Eagles and worked as an assistant with Manchester United and Feyenoord while Schreuder guided NEC Nijmegen to third place in the Eredivisie.

Read the story on the scottish sun here.

The FAI’s decision to move the Nations League game against Israel to a neutral venue has hit the headlines again with the SIPTU trade union pledging to support any workers who refuse to work at the game.

Mark McCadden in the Irish Mirror reports that Siptu represents workers in broadcasting, transport and the FAI.

Siptu Deputy General Secretary, Greg Ennis, said: “Moving these fixtures from Dublin to a neutral venue behind closed doors does not resolve the issue.

“It merely moves the Palestinian picket line out of sight. Our position is clear - don’t pass that picket line in Dublin, in Hungary or anywhere else.

“Siptu will stand with any member, or group of members, who refuses to assist in the staging, transport, broadcasting or servicing of these fixtures.”

Read the story on the irish mirror here.

Shamrock Rovers will play Maltese side Floriana in the first round of Champions League qualifying - a game already dubbed as the Roddy Collins derby on Twitter after he worked as manager with both clubs.

Stephen Bradley’s side will enjoy home advantage for the second leg next month following the draw in Switzerland on Friday, as reported by RTE Sport.

Derry City will play Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia in the Europa League first round while Bohemians will face St Joseph’s of Gibraltar in the first round of the UEFA Conference League.

Read the full article on rte sport here.

Former Ireland striker David McGoldrick will play on for another season after agreeing a one-year deal with Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town.

BBC Sport reports that Mansfield will be the 12th club that McGoldrick will play for after he turned down the offer of a new deal at Barnsley. McGoldrick has scored almost 200 goals in nearly 680 appearances in his professional career.

“The quality that he possesses in the final third was the main reason we pursued him,” said Clough.

Read the full story on bbc sport here.

The key stories developing today

Pico Lopes has never been a man to be lost for words and a World Cup debut draw with European champions Spain was never going to shut him up as he reflected on the monumental achievement at the Atlanta Stadium.

Speaking to David Sneyd of The42.ie website, one of the few Irish journalists in America for the tournament, Pico spoke of his pride at offering real joy on the pitch to all those who helped him get to the World Cup stage back home in Ireland.

Delayed for his media duties by a Facetime chat with his Shamrock Rovers team-mates back in Dublin, Lopez had a quick photo taken with fellow World Cup hero Ray Houghton before telling Sneyd about that call back to the Rovers crew.

“I was chatting to the lads at Shamrock Rovers [in the dressing room], they were out watching the game. I gave them a Facetime after that. That’s why I’m late. A lot of them went out to watch the game,” he said.

“That, to me, means the most. The people you lock heads with every day and push each other to get better in training, they’re out back home supporting me. They’re really proud. They’re so happy. They’re so proud.”

A decade after quitting a banking job and part-time football with Bohemians to go full-time with Shamrock Rovers, Lopes is now the first player playing in the League of Ireland to play in a World Cup finals.

He added: “It’s probably hard to sum up in words, but for me, it’s just a story of never giving up. Believe you can get better. My goal in football since I started playing was to try and improve.

“You don’t stop improving when you’re 22, 23. Your whole career is trying to do that. I’ve said this a lot, but my first international game was when I was 28. I’ll be 34 in two days and I’ll probably feel every bit of that after today. And I played my first World Cup. So, yes, look, dream, believe and work hard. Anything you love, things can happen.

“I’m immensely proud. We’ve got some great players in that league and there have been over the years and even now. To represent the League of Ireland, it’s huge. That’s how I managed to be here. I’ve been playing there my whole career. I started out there part-time and now I’m full-time.

“The support I’ve had from everyone I’ve met along the way. From the immediate family, from friends, League of Ireland supporters, everyone back home.

“It makes me feel really supported and it gives me a bit of motivation to go out there and show what I can do for them. I feel like I’m representing all the people who wish me well. I suppose that point out there is for them as well.”

Asked if his performance was up there alongside Paul McGrath’s at the Giants Stadium in 1994, Pico insisted: “No, I don’t think it was that good. I’m probably a bit rusty. That’s my first 90 minutes since April. I was happy to get under the belt. There’s probably times on the ball that I could use it better.

“But the important thing and the pleasing thing to me is we weren’t afraid to make mistakes today. I think that’s something we had to embrace. You’re going to give the ball away, you’re going to make mistakes.

“They’re going to be really good in attack. So it’s important that you switch on, you react to mistakes and get back defensively, which I thought we did really well.

“Look, it’s amazing to get a point and a clean sheet in our first game of the World Cup against an amazing team like Spain are. It’s amazing. Honestly, it’s a moment that we should be proud of and enjoy.

“The last corner they had, I glanced up at the stopwatch. I think there were 30 seconds left and I was just screaming, ‘one more, defend this corner, one more’, and that would be it.

“I was just hoping we’d get ahead on it or something or Vozinha would come and claim it like he has. I was just praying for this and I knew if we didn’t concede then that would probably be it.”

Read the full story on the42 here.

Roy Keane has offered an olive branch of sports to his former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and included the Scot on his footballing Mount Rushmore as part of his stint as a pundit on ITV’s World Cup coverage.

Asked by the British channel to name the four biggest influences on his footballing life, Keane name checked Diego Maradona, Brian Clough, Jack Charlton and then Ferguson - but through gritted teeth according to a report in the Irish Sun.

He said: “From a younger age, watching players growing up, I loved watching Brazil and Diego Maradona. Particularly Zico and Maradona, but I’d go with Maradona, definitely.

“As I was getting a bit older then, looking for breaks, I’d have to put Brian Clough in there. He gave me my opportunity to go to England and have a career.

“A big influence on me would have been Jack Charlton. The job he did with Ireland, obviously because I played in USA ’94 here, and I was a bit young to maybe appreciate Jack’s messages, but yeah, I’d put Jack Charlton in there.

“And obviously a manager I spent most of my time with, Alex Ferguson. Obviously still disappointed the way he treated me in the end, but that’s life. I’m not one to hold grudges.

“Did I give you four? Yeah, that’s four. And I’ve got to mention, obviously, a lot of people in Ireland. When I played with Rockmount and Cobh Ramblers, people at the time were a great help to me - my managers there, coaches, and teammates.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley has another cut across the bows of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson and blasted the decision to bring 16-year-old Hoops prospect Josh O’Dwyer into the senior Irish set-up for the recent friendly against Canada.

Set to move to RB Salzburg in the summer, O’Dwyer was included as a training player by Hallgrimsson in a squad that included his Rovers team-mates Adam Brennan, Ed McGinty and Matt Healy but Bradley wasn’t happy with the decision.

“I don’t agree with the Josh one, I have to say, I didn’t agree with that at all,” Bradley told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

“You have Heimir speaking about people needing to play for the Under-21s before they go with Ireland. You have a kid (O’Dwyer) who hasn’t played for the Under-19s.

“Now I’ve been that young player, that superstar at 15 that everyone talks about. When you’re pushed before you deserve it, it can really really hurt you. I’ve seen Keith Treacy talk about it and he was spot on, you need to be very, very careful.

“Josh has a really high level of ability, there’s no doubt about that and he can be something very, very good but... it baffled me. There’s players that have earned it.”

Read the story on rte sport here.

Dubliner Darren O’Dea has been appointed to the coaching staff at Slovakian side Slaven Bratislava after the club announced Manchester City legend Yaya Toure as their new manager.

The Irish Mirror reports that O’Dea, capped 20 times by Ireland, will take up the role of assistant manager with the side as Toure landed a job that Robbie Keane was linked with after his departure from Ferencvaros.

Read the full article on the irish mirror here.

Glasgow Rangers have agreed a deal that will see manager Danny Röhl depart for Austrian side RB Salzburg with Hearts boss Derek McInnes set to replace him at Ibrox.

Röhl was only appointed as successor to Russell Martin last October with Rangers now in talks to agree compensation with Hearts after enticing McInnes to accept a three year deal according to Sky Sports.

Read the full story on sky sports here.

The key stories developing today

The long and winding road to the World Cup finals with his father’s homeland finally arrives in Atlanta on Monday for League of Ireland legend Pico Lopes as Cape Verde take on one of the tournament favourites in Spain.

As Pico’s wife Leah and young son Diego embark on a World Cup RV road-trip so the Shamrock Rovers captain will be preparing to face a Spanish side that may or may not include injury doubt Lamine Yamal.

Talking to members of the Irish media from the Cape Verde training camp, Lopes outlined he has taken Portuguese lessons, studied the local Creole dialect and immersed himself in the buzz of a first World Cup after a chance connection with the footballing side of the Atlantic islands that his dad Carlos left as a teenager for Ireland.

“We’re Cape Verdens and we’re Creole people,” Lopes told John Fallon of the Irish Examiner ahead of the move from their training base in Tampa to the match venue in Atlanta.

“Creole is a constant learning and school day for me. Not a written language, a spoken language. It shows us how committed you are to the Cape Verde side; not just about football but the environment that you create. It’s about representing Cape Verde on that world stage.”

Lopes is under no illusions about the task ahead as Cape Verde get ready to play against a star studded Spanish team in what will be a fascinating World Cup debut for the Crumlin native and his team-mates.

“I am a dreamer,” Lopes added. “Watching World Cups as a kid, I always wondered if that would ever happen to me.

“I was realistic too. From working in the bank, and being part-time with Bohemians, I wasn’t at the international football level. This has coincided with my drive for better.

“Let’s just call a spade a spade, Spain are one of the best teams in the world - which you’ve to respect - but you still must believe you can win.

“We’ve said from the get-go that we want to be competitive at this tournament. We can’t just sort of pick and choose our games here because the tournament will pass you by. It’s great to be here and special when you think back on how it materialised.”

Read the full story on the irish examiner here.

Fans from Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers united at Friday night’s Dublin derby to condemn the FAI’s decision to move their Nations League clash with Israel to a neutral venue and their managers have followed suit.

Speaking after the 2-1 win for Shels at Tolka Park, both Reds boss Joey O’Brien and his Rovers counterpart Stephen Bradley criticised the latest move by the FAI in a row that has simmered on since February.

Speaking to Mark McCadden of the Irish Mirror, O’Brien said: “I think the fact that we’re moving it outside the country, if the game was going to take place, definitely should have taken place here.

“I don’t think the game should be going ahead in any way. But if it was, it would have been a great opportunity for the world, basically, to see the support that I think the whole of the country really has for what the Palestinian people are going through.

“I don’t think you should play them, definitely shouldn’t play them. But if you had to play them, I think it should have been here.”

Rovers boss Stephen Bradley added: “My view has been clear from months ago and that hasn’t changed. I think we’re all quite clear in this country, anyone involved in football is quite clear that the game shouldn’t go ahead. I’ve seen nothing to make me change my mind.”

Read the story on the irish mirror here.

World Cup pundit James McClean has indicated that all is now well with his return to hometown club Derry City and his move back to the League of Ireland he left for Sunderland in 2011.

McClean made his RTE tournament debut on Saturday and his response to an enquiry from host Tony O’Donoghue about his fitness prompted much online speculation.

McClean said: “My fitness generally is fine, obviously, it’s not ideal. But it’s in a lot better place than it was a couple of months ago. A couple of months ago, to be honest, I didn’t really know if I’d be back on a football pitch.

“So the fact that I’ve got a few games in since then is obviously optimistic.”

Asked if he was enjoying life back in Derry however, McClean added: “Probably not so much myself, if I’m being honest. You know, you have a lot of conversations on the phone and then you come home and you quickly realise what you hear on the phone, it’s not what you see in reality.

“So yeah, there’s a lot of factors that’s contributed to that and we’ll leave them for another day.”

Read the story on rte sport here.

Ireland legend John Aldridge has claimed that England have a squad capable of winning the World Cup despite the constant online and media criticism the players face when playing for their country.

Writing in his column on the Sunday Independent website, Aldridge gives his views on how public opinion is a constant drawback whenever England look to end what is now 60 years of hurt since that World Cup win in 1966.

“England have a squad capable of winning this World Cup, but there is one big reason why they have failed to get over the winning line in 60 long years,” writes Aldridge.

“Thomas Tuchel is the latest manager trying to end England’s status as nearly men on the international stage, and he is about to face the same problem all his predecessors have come up against - the enemy within.

“The expectation that pours down on England players at a World Cup has always been immense, because their media pack jumps at the chance to build up the hype before a ball has been kicked. They are also desperate to hammer the players and the manager when it all goes wrong.”

Read the full article on the irish independent here.

Damien Duff’s appointment as assistant coach with Premier League Brentford has been welcomed across Irish football as the Ireland hero joins former international colleague Keith Andrews at the Gtech Community Stadium.

In his Irish Times column, writer Malachy Clerkin speculates how Duff’s unique management style will fit into Brentford’s style of coaching and asks: “Where does all that fit into the algorithm? What do the xG models say about it?

“Brentford are all about the system and the framework, about finding inefficiencies in the way things are done and exploiting them. Duff’s occasional wild tendencies look like a glitch in the matrix compared to all that.

“Or maybe we’re looking at it the wrong way entirely. Maybe this is exactly why they’re interested. Could this be the next frontier in analytics? Could it be that football clubs have been undervaluing mad bastards all along? It will be fun to find out.”

Read the full story on the irish times here.

The key stories developing today

Pico Lopes, Ireland’s favourite World Cup player, has again insisted that the FAI need to stop the Israel game going ahead, not just move it to a neutral venue.

In an online media conference from Tampa, part of which is available on TheSportsHacks.Com, Lopes reiterated his total opposition to Irish players being asked to play against Israel.

The chair of the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland was responding to a question from RTE’s Tony O’Donoghue on the day the Board of the FAI met again to discuss the Nations League games against Israel.

“I said it from the start, my stance remains the same. I don’t think the game should be played,” Lopes told RTÉ Sport.

“It’s terrible that the players have been put in this position. It’s terrible that the FAI have been put in this position as well.

“It’s a decision that should have been taken out of their hands. It hasn’t, and I just think that for the majority of people in the country, they don’t want the game to be played.

“So, I just I think it’s time to listen to the noises outside. I do understand, it’s a very difficult position for players and even them having to face the interviews that’s a really hard position for them to be in.

“But my stance hasn’t changed. I still think the game shouldn’t be played.”

Read the full article on rte here.

Martin O’Neill has signed a one year deal to stay on as Celtic manager with the option to extend for a further season if the 74-year-old Ulsterman wants to remain in charge at Parkhead.

After twice answering an SOS from the Celtic owner Dermot Desmond and winning the double in the season just ended, O’Neill has retained the job despite the club’s interest in Robbie Keane.

Sky Sports News reports that the new contract also comes with a one-year option to extend.

“It is once again a great privilege for me to continue as Celtic manager,” O’Neill said. “Last season will live long in all our memories and to be part of that success has in a big way whetted the appetite to work again for more days like those and bring our supporters those moments.

“Of course, none of this could have been achieved without the players and staff and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for bringing that level of focus, determination and talent to bear at the conclusion of the season to deliver the league and Cup double.

“I thank our fans for their ongoing support, it means everything to us. I look forward to being back at Celtic Park next season when we will come together and we will strive again to bring our fans the success which that support deserves.”

Read the full story on sky sports here.

Heimir Hallgrimsson has been criticised for giving his League of Ireland players so little time in the recent international window with Shamrock Rovers star Aaron Greene defending Dawson Devoy and Kian Leavy after their reduced roles against Canada last week.

Dawson was replaced at half-time in that 1-1 draw while Kian Leavy and Greene’s clubmate Adam Brennan were late substitutes.

Greene told the Irish Mirror’s Mark McCadden: “I think the league is only striving in that direction and I think you see the young players, Kian Leavy getting brought on and Dawson, I don’t know was he told he was getting taken off at half-time. I kind of thought it looked like a shot at the league to be honest.

“We really don’t know what goes on behind closed doors but he was the one who had the best chance within the game in the first half, didn’t he?

Read the story on the irish mirror here.

Galwegian Darryl Horgan will wear the Dundalk colours against his hometown club in the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division on Friday night - in Cork.

Due to the unavailability of Pearse Stadium, Galway United have been forced to move the game South as work continues on their Terryland home.

The newly crowned Soccer Writers Ireland player of the month told the Irish Examiner’s John Fallon: “Look, it’s not ideal. It’s always a very, very difficult game at Galway but, for me, it doesn’t really matter where you play.

“It’s disappointing that the game’s not in Pearse Stadium because I was really looking forward to that. The only downside is the distance for both teams and sets of fans to travel but it will still get a great crowd.”

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

The World Cup is up and running with Mexico off to a flyer in their 2-0 win at home to South Africa while Ireland’s conquerors Czechia were put back in their box with a 2-1 defeat to South Korea.

The BBC website is as good a place as any to keep up with the World Cup latest in a timezone hell and asks can the Czech Republic or South Africa turn things around and challenge for a spot in the knockout phase?

Read the full story on bbc sport here.

The key stories developing today

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has again taken centre-stage by storm as the world prepares to welcome the 2026 FIFA World Cup to its heart as joint hosts Mexico entertain South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Thursday night.

Speaking at his final press conference before the tournament begins, the FIFA President told critics of his regime and this tournament’s eccentricities to date, and there are many, to chill and relax.

As the Irish Sun reports, the under-fire FIFA boss also claimed that nobody could have done any more than Infantino to ensure the World Cup’s return to America is a success.

Addressing the issues of interference by US President Donald Trump, the Somalian referee’s ban from entering the States, Iran’s issues around having to move their base to Mexico and everything from ticket prices to water bottles, Infantino remained adamant that all will be good with the World Cup over the next six weeks.

Speaking in Mexico City, Infantino said: “When we are confronted with challenges, we have to deal with them. Sometimes we can solve them and other times we cannot and we try just to make the best.

“I don’t regret anything. I’ve been organising events for the last 30 years and I’m pretty much used to dealing with issues, big and small. What happened to Omar (the Somalian referee) was unfortunate but we don’t control everything.

“We try, we discuss, we speak and we see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just, you know, chill, relax. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.

“We always try to find solutions but we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over Governments. We don’t live on the moon, we live on Planet Earth, and we’ve tried to do our best.”

Read the full article on the irish sun here.

Fermanagh native Kieran McKenna is to take a break from professional football and take time out with his family following his resignation as Ipswich Town manager on Wednesday.

The decision was announced just weeks after McKenna guided Ipswich back to the Premier League, one of three promotions won in the past four seasons.

McKenna had been linked with the Fulham job but is adamant he is leaving the Suffolk club to spend more time with his family,

In a statement reported by the BBC, McKenna said: “I feel this is the right time for me to step aside. I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club.

“After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far.”

Read the full story on bbc sport here.

Roy Keane has confirmed he recently chatted on the phone with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and discussed their recent spat over comments made by the Irishman.

Fernandes had accused Keane of telling a lie about him but the pair kissed and made up in a recent phone call according to a report on the BBC website.

“He apologised, I forgave him, no problem, but no it was a good chat,” Keane joked on the Stick to Football podcast, according to the report.

“No, there was a reaction after what we said on the podcast a few weeks ago and he reached out to me and wanted a chat… I called him and we had a lovely chat. We had a nice, mature conversation. It was lovely. A lovely chat.”

Read the story on bbc sport here.

Corkonian Denise O’Sullivan has said she wants Ireland to bring the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-offs to Pairc Ui Chaoimh ahead of next week’s draw.

Seeded going into the draw, the Irish squad has enjoyed their run of games on Leeside and made it three wins from three at the GAA ground with the win against the Netherlands last Friday.

“Yeah, of course,” O’Sullivan said about a return to Cork, as reported by the Irish Examiner’s John Fallon. “Three wins in three in Cork and last Friday was absolutely fantastic.

“I think the fans stuck behind us for 90 minutes. They were dancing and loud as ever at the end of the game. It’s a great atmosphere down there. I hope we can continue playing there.”

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

Celtic will play their first game of the new season in Dublin after Shels announced a July 7th friendly against the double winners at Tolka Park - with Martin O’Neill expected to take charge of the visitors.

O’Neill has yet to be confirmed for a return to the Celtic job full-time but it is believed he will be in the dug-out for the trip to Dublin ahead of a training camp in Portugal.

Read the full story on rte here.

The key stories developing today

The real France turned up and had to as they sealed World Cup qualification with a 1-0 win over Ireland in Grenoble on Tuesday night, a result that sends the Republic into the play-offs as top seeds in next week’s draw.

Carla Ward’s team needed a win to secure qualification for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil but a slow start caught them out as Melvine Malard scored with an overhead kick five minutes before the break.

Speaking to the Irish Sun afterwards, a proud Ward said: “I’m incredibly proud of the group and so should everyone. This campaign been sensational

“We have come close against one of the best teams in the world. My God did France turn up, they were outstanding, with excellent players everywhere.

“We know how good they are when they find their rhythm. We did prepare for an onslaught. I thought we managed it well But their goal was a moment of magic, an overhead kick.

“The World Cup goal is the ambition, we have a different route but it tells some story that we are disappointed to lose.

“The World Cup needs this group, they are a special group. You have to take chances against a side like that but I have nothing but love and pride for this group.

“If I’m a young girl watching them I’m inspired. We’ll go to Zurich next week, see who we play, assess that and go back to work. This is the start, not the end, we’ll continue to work, pick ourselves back up for October.

“If we put in performances like we have in this campaign we’ll be absolutely fine.”

Read the full article on the irish sun here.

The Government and the FAI were both in the firing line in the Dail on Tuesday as opposition parties turned the heat up in the debate about the upcoming Nations League games against Israel as a Sinn Fein motion calling for a boycott of the two games was debated.

The Irish Independent reports that a Government amendment to the motion claimed that the FAI is ‘independent’ and are responsible for making their own decision on sporting fixtures.

“The Government acknowledges the FAI’s independence and autonomy in arriving at this decision and any decisions it may make in the coming days,” the Government amendment said.

The FAI will announce plans on Thursday to move the home game out of Dublin to a neutral venue with the Dail hearing that the Association are talking to a number of parties, including the Israeli FA, about the planned switch in venue.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, whose party proposed the motion, slammed the lack of Government TDs present for the debate ahead of the vote on Wednesday.

“As desperate families queue for food and aid, face bombardment, displacement, and fear, and yet, despite all of this, you come in - only two of you, the rest of your benches are bare benches of shame,” she said.

Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney, set to bring a second motion against the game to the Dail on Wednesday, told the Government parties: “You need to grow a pair as a government and do this and stop the game.”

Read the full story on the irish independent here.

Roy Keane has admitted in a Sky Sports TV show that he now wishes his Saipan row with Mick McCarthy had never happened ahead of the 2002 World Cup but has also claimed that his conscience is clear over the manner in which he handled himself.

“Given everything that had happened with Ireland over many years, there was always going to be a tipping point. I could not have done anything differently and I have no regrets,” Keane is quoted as saying by the Irish Mirror.

“Do I wish it had happened? Of course not. But if a manager calls a player out in front of an entire squad, I am going to react,” said Keane who, the Sun says, believes McCarthy should have consulted him in private rather than calling him out in front of the team.

Read the story on the irish mirror here.

Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang will earn a cool €125,000 each for their clubs when they represent Cape Verde and Ghana at the World Cup finals this month.

The two League of Ireland clubs will receive the payments from FIFA as part of the Club Benefits Programme designed to support clubs who have players at the finals. The Irish Independent reports that an expected €9000 per day compensation payment will now amount to €4,400 per day whilst the clubs are missing their stars.

Read the story on the irish independent here.

American striker Sydney Stephens has been rewarded for her impressive league form for Sligo Rovers with her selection as the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division Player of the Month for May.

RTE Sport reports on the award for Stephens who’s seven goals and three assists across three games in May.

Read the full story on rte here.

The key stories developing today

The FAI have taken the decision to move the UEFA Nations League home qualifier against Israel out of Dublin - now they need UEFA’s approval as Dail Eireann prepares to debate the most controversial fixture in Irish football history.

RTE’s Tony O’Donoghue broke the news on Monday afternoon that the FAI Board have finally accepted that they cannot host the ‘home’ fixture against the Israelis with Budapest now the likely venue for the clash pending a green light from UEFA.

RTE also reports that Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has claimed that moving the game out of Ireland is not enough as the Irish parliament prepares to debate her party’s motion on Tuesday which calls on the FAI to boycott the game.

The FAI have yet to confirm the switch but did issue a statement on Monday evening in light of the RTE story and the subsequent media enquiries.

O’Donoghue’s story suggests that the game on October 4th will switch from the Aviva Stadium to a neutral ground, pending UEFA approval, with a venue in Hungary considered a likely alternative.

It goes on to say that the FAI Board met last Friday while a second meeting was held this afternoon where a decision was reached.

The FAI said later on Monday that it would not release any statement on any decision on the matter until after a board meeting scheduled for Thursday as they want to keep the focus on the FIFA Women’s World Cup make or break qualifier play in France on Tuesday night.

The FAI also said it is the responsibility of the Board of the FAI to protect the future interests of football in Ireland and that any decision around the israel game is ‘solely a matter for the Association’.

Speaking ahead of the Dail debate on Tuesday,Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “Our motion supports the Stop the Game campaign - the call is quite clear for the game not to proceed in Ireland or anywhere.

“There is no support for our national team to play, under our tricolour, against Israel while there is a genocide ongoing.”

Read the full story on rte here.

Ireland manager Carla Ward has outlined the opportunity that awaits her players in Grenoble tonight when victory against a top French side will send the Republic to a second straight World Cup finals.

The late, late win against the Netherlands in Cork last Friday night means Ireland are now one win away from automatic qualification for next summer’s year’s in Brazil.

With a play-off already secured, Ireland will give it a right go against the fourth ranked team in the world in France tonight and Ward insists her players should be proud of their campaign to date.

The Irish Examiner’s John Fallon reports from her pre-match press conference when she said: “First of all, no matter what happens tomorrow night, this group can be incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

“That is number one and it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the actual development of the group. Of course, we want to go and win this game, we wanted to win the game the other night and we made sure we did.

“How big would this be? I think you would all agree it would be one of the biggest sporting stories in world football. That’s because no fourth ranked team stays in League A, let alone wins two games and then wins three games and then wins the group.

“We’ve already written our own records, and this would be the biggest one, no doubt about it.”

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

Roy Keane will quit his Cheshire home for Australia if England win the World Cup for the first time in 60 years this summer according to a story in the Irish Sun.

The paper quotes Keane talking to a Sky Bet podcast about England’s World Cup chances and his response to a question from Micah Richards about that he would do if Thomas Tuchel’s side win the tournament.

The Corkman said: “I don’t want England winning it! But obviously, when we’re working over there, and you’re ITV, you want them to do well.

“And you know they’re gonna through the knockout games, and when they’re getting through, there’s a bit of excitement. And that’s when I start to get worried, when it’s semis and finals.”

Asked by fellow pundit Richards if he’d be happy if England won the competition, Keane declared: “No, I’d be emigrating to Australia.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Wolves Technical Director Matt Jackson has paid tribute to Matt Doherty’s time with the club after confirmation that he has been released on a free transfer after 13 years at Molineux, over two spells.

The Dubliner played almost 400 games for Wolves and the Irish Mirror reports on Jackson’s praise for the Ireland defender.

“It’s rare to get actual ‘club men’ in the modern game, but Doc is definitely a Wolverhampton Wanderers man, through and through,” said Jackson.

“He’s been absolutely exceptional throughout the 13 years he’s spent at the club, both on the pitch and with the leadership he displays off it.”

Read the full article on the irish mirror here.

Galway United have been forced to move their Premier Division game with Dundalk on Friday night to Turner’s Cross in Cork as Eamonn Deacy Park is closed for pitch renovations and their temporary home at the Pearse Stadium GAA venue isn’t available due to an All-Ireland football championship fixture.

The Dundalk game will now be played on Leeside but upcoming fixtures against Derry City, Sligo Rovers and Waterford will go ahead at Pearse Stadium as planner.

Read the full story on the42 here.

The key stories developing today

Carla Ward turned the air blue as she issued the battlecry to down Les Bleus and seal World Cup qualification with a victory against France in Grenoble on Tuesday night.

“Let’s f**king go!” cried Ward after Friday night’s sensational 3-2 win against the Netherlands in Cork set Ireland up for a winner-takes-all clash with the French.

A late, late goal from Glasgow hero Amber Barrett put Ireland on the verge of another World Cup qualification as they prepare to face the seventh best team in the FIFA rankings on Tuesday.

And Ward is adamant Ireland will relish the opportunity to qualify for a second World Cup finals.

Speaking after Friday’s big win, she told the Irish Sun: “Listen, they’re both top teams. They’re just very different. France, yeah. They’re both unbelievable but everyone’s beatable. Let’s f**king go.”

Ward threw caution to the wind in the closing stages in Cork on Friday when she threw three strikers onto the pitch and the gamble paid off.

“I think some people thought I was mad when I looked to the bench and I said, ‘right, get every single attacking player ready, we’ve got to go for it, why not?’,” said Ward.

“And I, as a player, I was a 10, I liked to play football a lot. I was an attacking player and I liked to go score goals. I think at club football, I’ve always tried to play with an attitude with the ball and be a little bit more attacking.

“And you know what? It probably hurt me early on coming in here in the system that I started with so we had to then build back. We almost had to go backwards to build our out of possession structure in a five.

“And then we restart again with the way we want to play with the ball. But this lot, you know, they enjoy it. They enjoy it. So I tell them all the time, enjoy the ball with the ball. Enjoy the fight without the ball. That’s critical.”

Read the full story on the irish mirror here.

Ireland coach John O’Shea has echoed Seamus Coleman’s strong views on the prospects of Ireland hosting Israel in the Nations League at the Aviva Stadium in October and the need for a decision to be made ASAP.

Speaking ahead of the 1-1 draw with Canada at the weekend, O’Shea confirmed that the Ireland camp are fully behind Coleman’s belief that the Gaza situation has put the players in a really difficult position as the FAI continue to stall on a decision around the game.

“Totally, we’ll be 100% behind Séamus’ answer, and we fully respect any of the players’ opinions on the scenario,” O’Shea said in a report by Joe Callaghan, carried by the Irish Examiner amongst others.

“It’s only going to get stronger and stronger, that opinion, the public opinion, and you’re fully aware of it. What Séamus said, being a dad, I have three kids myself, nobody wants to see innocent kids being involved in scenarios like that.

“Nobody…It’s not right, and listen, the FAI have made their statement on it, Heimir has spoken about it, and I’d echo that sentiment as well. Obviously [Uefa] acted on Russia, they haven’t acted on Israel. From a sporting point of view, we don’t want to give anyone an advantage, but we fully appreciate it’s not right.”

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

Dawson Devoy’s international debut only lasted 45 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Canada but the Bohs midfielder was buzzing afterwards as Irish fans celebrated a Cheo Ogbene equaliser in Montreal and the Bohs man dedicated his first cap to his family.

Devoy told the Irish Sun that his nearest and dearest had booked their flights to Montreal as soon as he was named in the squad.

He said: “They came over Tuesday. Me mam, dad, my missus travel everywhere. They go to all the Bohs games, home and away.

“So to have them here… I owe my mam and dad a lot, they’ve been through a lot with me. I’m just so happy to give them that moment.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Robbie Keane will be a contender to manager Celtic in the future dispute the club sticking with Martin O’Neill on a permanent deal this time around, according to a report by the Irish Independent.

Kevin Palmer writes that Keane was ‘fully aware’ that Martin O’Neill had first refusal on the Celtic manager’s job during his discussions with major shareholder Dermot Desmond.

Palmer also states that there remains a strong chance Keane will manage Celtic in the future despite the negative reaction from some fans to his links with the job.

Read the full article on the irish independent here.

Manager Jim Crawford hailed the character of his Ireland Under 21 players as they came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Croatia in a friendly in Zagreb on Saturday with the goals coming from Sam Curtis and Sean Grehan.

“I thought we were the better team today, certainly in the first-half. We were excellent, we had a good structure about us with lots of fantastic play,” said the Ireland manager in a report on The42.ie website.

Read the full story on the42 here.

The key stories developing today

As Ireland prepare for their final game of the season with Friday night’s friendly against Canada in Montreal, manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has revealed that star striker Evan Ferguson is now a serious doubt for the opening four Nations League of the autumn.

The Brighton striker had his loan spell at Roma cut short by an ankle injury sustained against Stuttgart in January and has undergone surgery to resolve the issue.

But now the Irish Sun reports that Hallgrimsson has confirmed the damage is worse than first expected as he prepares to send out a new look team against the Canadians.

Speaking pre-match in Montreal, Hallgrimsson revealed: “I spoke to him last time two or three weeks ago, and it was more damage than the doctor thought in the beginning.

“So probably now he is fully fit sometime in September or October but you never know. Hopefully it will be sooner. But I think for him and everyone, it would be wise to take this slowly and just leave it in the past instead of trying to rush it.”

Read the full story on the irish sun here.

A group of Celtic supporters clubs have put their names to a statement urging the club not to appoint Robbie Keane as their next manager due to his previous time as boss at Maccab Tel Aviv in Israel.

The Green Brigade are amongst the groups to have signed the statement according to a report on the Sky Sports website.

Keane, currently in South Korea for a game with the Liverpool Legends, is favourite to be offered the role after constructive talks with owner Dermot Desmond at the start of the week.

The report states that the North Curve Celtic account on X has published a list of 67 groups that have apparently endorsed the statement.

The statement says: “Celtic supporters have a long and proud history of solidarity with the Palestinian people. For us, Robbie Keane’s decision to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv during the genocide in Gaza is impossible to ignore. We urge the Celtic board to listen to supporters’ concerns and reconsider this appointment.”

Read the story on sky sports here.

Katie McCabe will lead Ireland out against the Netherlands in the big World Cup qualifier at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Friday night but the interest in her move from Arsenal to Chelsea remains of huge interest.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Cork on Thursday, McCabe went into depth on the move across London as her contact at Arsenal came to an end.

“Having spent 10 or 11 years at a football club is really special,” McCabe told the media, including The42 website. “For me to be able to do that at a football club like Arsenal was amazing. I’ve got a lot of respect for every single person back at the club and all my teammates.

“I empathise a lot with the Arsenal fans at the minute. It’s not an easy thing to see a player that’s spent so long at a club going to a rival club. But at the same time, I need to put myself first.”

Read the story on the42 here.

Andoni Iraola’s appointment as the new Liverpool manager was confirmed on Thursday when he signed a two-year contract to succeed Arne Slot in the Anfield hotseat.

The BBC quotes from a Liverpool statement confirming the news with Iraola stating: “Really excited, really excited. Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world. I’m ready for the challenge.”

Read the full article on bbc sport here.

Chelsea and Cork fans are mourning the death of Bobby Tambling at the age of 84 following a long illness.

Still Chelsea’s second all-time record goalscorer behind Frank Lampard, Tambling settled in Crosshaven after ending his career with Cork Celtic and was well known across Leeside.

Read the full story on the irish examiner here.

The key stories developing today

Key questions answered as Celtic search for new boss with Robbie Keane, Martin O’Neill, Craig Bellamy and Roberto Martinez all considered

Sky Sports has reported that Celtic owner Dermot Desmond held ‘constructive’ talks with Robbie Keane over the Parkhead managerial vacancy earlier this week but also says that no decision will be made until Martin O’Neill is consulted about his future wishes.

The broadcaster prompted much debate amongst Celtic fans on Thursday when it broke the news that the talks between Desmond and Keane had been positive.

As Keane’s past life as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to stir controversy, Sky have also reported that Desmond will make no decision until he sits down with O’Neill who won the double in his second interim spell as manager in the season just ended.

The report says O’Neill may be interested in staying in the hotseat for another season or could move upstairs to a Director of Football or advisory role with the Bhoys next season.

Sky Sports also claim that Celtic want to talk to Wales boss Craig Bellamy despite his public commitment to his country in recent days while Portugal manager Roberto Martinez is in the mix.

They say that O’Neill now holds the key to the appointment and, by definition, to Keane’s aspirations to manage the club where he played on loan for six months in 2010.

Read the full story on sky sports here.

As the FAI wait to decide what will happen around the Nations League home game with Israel in October, the Scottish women have confirmed they never spoke about a boycott of their World Cup games against the Israelis.

Scotland will play both the home and away matches in Budapest which will also host the other Israel games against Belgium and Luxembourg.

Midfielder Christy Grimshaw confirmed to BBC Sport that a boycott was never discussed by the Scottish players. “Honestly, no,” she said. “We are obviously aware of all the situations with the Irish players as well, with Israel.

“Ultimately, we have to let the people who are in charge of these situations - the governing bodies who decide these things - decide. We, as players, have been put in a situation where it’s the Israel game at a neutral venue and that’s all we can do.

“Is it the best circumstances surrounding it? Of course not, because we are aware of everything else that’s going on and we feel for that as humans. However, right now we have to adapt to the situation and play football. That’s our role and that’s all we can do.”

Read the story on bbc sport here.

New Ireland striker Mason Melia aims to show Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi what he can do in Canada’s World Cup send-off game in Montreal on Friday night.

The former St Patrick’s Athletic striker made his Irish debut as a last minute sub against Qatar last month and is expected to win a second cap in the friendly.

Speaking at a pre-game media conference, Melia told the Irish Sun’s Owen Cowzer that he wants to show Spurs he is ready for a first team debut in this end of season fixture and could even consider a loan move in the summer.

Melia said: “I want to be playing first team football again, I’ve said it to the club as well, they know that as well. So it’s just seeing what’s right, what the manager and what everyone at the club wants. At the moment I’m not quite sure, they want me to come in for pre-season.

“So I want to do as well and just show the manager what I can do, and do my best and see what goes from there.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Derry City star James McClean will bring his own unique take on football to the RTE Studio panel for the World Cup finals.

The station announced yesterday that former Irish international will join the likes of Shay Given, Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, Dietmar Hamann, Áine O’Gorman, Kenny Cunningham, Stephen Kelly, Keith Treacy, Richie Sadlier, Alan Cawley, Kevin Doyle and Niamh Fahey as RTE broadcast 104 games in total across their platforms.

Read the full article on rte here.

Shamrock Rovers will begin their defence of the FAI Cup with a home tie against Cork City in the second round of the 2026 edition of the tournament, a repeat of last year’s final which the Hoops won 2-0.

The42.ie reports that Dundalk will play away to Leinster Senior League side St Mochta’s while First Division Kerry FC will host Shelbourne.

Read the full story on the42 here.

The key stories developing today

Robbie Keane and Martin O’Neill or Robbie Keane versus Martin O’Neill? That appears to be the question according to multiple media reports as Celtic fans await the appointment of a new manager.

The Irish Independent is one of the outlets covering the story and reports that Celtic owner Dermot Desmond has already held talks with Keane as he narrows the managerial search down to two candidates.

The paper also reports that O’Neill could move upstairs to a Director of Football role if Keane arrives, a reward for guiding the Celts to an unexpected League and Cup double in his two spells as interim boss last season.

But the paper also says that Keane’s connections with Israel from his time as manager at Maccabi Tel Aviv have caused issues with sections of the Celtic fan base.

Read the full story on the irish independent here.

Ireland international Will Ferry could be on his way to the MLS with Los Angeles FC amid interest from Europe as well - but former Under 21 midfielder Connor Ronan looks set to move back across the Atlantic and join Aberdeen from the Colorado Rapids.

The Irish Independent reports that an unnamed club on the continent are believed to have had a €1.2million bid turned down for Ferry, capped in the 5-0 win against Grenada last month.

The paper also reports that Ronan could quit the MLS after a couple of seasons with the Rapids and move to Aberdeen.

Read the story on the irish independent here.

Newly promoted Ipswich Town could lose their Irish manager Kieran McKenna to Fulham after Marco Silva’s decision to move home to Portugal and take up the role as Jose Mourinho’s replacement at Benfica.

Fulham announced Silva’s departure on Tuesday as his contract expired after five years at Craven Cottage and the Belfast Telegraph reports that McKenna is the bookies’ favourite to succeed him.

Read the story on the belfast telegraph here.

Sinclair Armstrong is in Izmir to complete a medical ahead of a €2.5million move to Turkish side Goztepe from Bristol City according to a report by John Fallon in the Irish Examiner.

Capped by Stephen Kenny against Holland in 2024, the former QPR striker looks set to follow fellow international Festy Ebosele to Turkey after he moved Basaksehir FK last season.

Read the full article on the irish examiner here.

Goalkeeper Joseph Anang will make history as the first St Patrick’s Athletic player to go to the World Cup finals whilst playing with the Inchicore side.

RTE Sport reports that Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz included Anang in his 26 man squad for the finals, announced on Tuesday. Ghana face England at the finals.

Read the full story on rte here.

The key stories developing today

Robbie Keane is involved in a head to head tussle with his old Ireland boss Martin O’Neill for the Celtic manager’s job - and reportedly met with club owner Dermot Desmond at a secret location on Monday night.

The Scottish Sun reports online that Keane was set to hold talks with Desmond about a return to Parkhead and a return to management just a week after quitting Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

The Irish record goalscorer played on loan at Celtic for six months in 2010 and has enjoyed title winning success in Israel and Hungary in his short managerial career to date.

He is keen to return to the dug-out as soon as possible after leaving Ferencvaros just after winning the Hungarian Cup with the Budapest side last month when they were pipped to the title by Gyor FC.

The Scottish Sun reports that Keane will add Celtic legend Scott Brown and former Irish international winger Jonny Hayes, currently B team boss at the club, to his backroom staff if he convinced Desmond to give him the job.

But O’Neill also has a part to play in this story with suggestions he could move upstairs into a Director of Football role if Keane returns to Glasgow.

While the report also states that O’Neill could stay on for another year after snatching the League title from under Hearts’ noses during his second term as interim boss in the season just finished.

O’Neill was quizzed on the Celtic job last week while in attendance at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards.

He said: “I’m seeing the owner next week, but I think he’s looking for a younger man – a 71-year-old! I am getting awfully old, but I don’t know what’s in his mind, and whether I would have the energy to do it again. But it was nice to be asked first time.”

Read the full story on the scottish sun here.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has revealed he’s held talks with both FAI Director of Football John Martin and FIFA over the Republic’s plans to step up the recruitment of dual-elilgibility players.

O’Neill made the revelations to the Belfast Telegraph following comments from Martin at a media briefing last month that the FAI will increase their efforts not to lose out on players like Conor Bradley of Liverpool.

O’Neill responded to those recent comments from Martin in his interview with the paper’s Steven Beacom. “I know John from his time at Shamrock Rovers and I’ve had a conversation with him post those comments,” said O’Neill who has also seen highly rated Chelsea youngster Chris Atherton switch to the South.

“It wasn’t directly around those comments, it was just on the situation in general. This is a situation that we have dealt with since I’ve been in the job (first time around). It’s important that we have dialogue with the FAI on this.

“I’m not in favour of young players making international transfers and I’ve had that discussion at FIFA because I think that in our situation, for young players, maybe because of where they’ve grown up or their background, it’s a more difficult decision to make.”

Read the story on the belfast telegraph here.

Ireland’s controversial Nations League home game against Israel looks more likely than ever to be moved out of Dublin and to a neutral venue as the FAI Board prepare to discuss their options in the wake of growing public opposition to the October fixture going ahead at the Aviva Stadium.

Ahead of a reported Board meeting on Tuesday night, the Sunday Times’ Irish football correspondent Paul Rowan has written that Irish manager Heimir Hallgrimsson will back the idea of a neutral venue as his players prepare to release their own statement on the controversy.

Rowan reports that, asked after the against Qatar on Thursday night about facing Israel outside of Dublin for the ‘home’ game, Hallgrimsson replied: “Do I think it is a good idea or not? Depends on the situation. If it is unplayable here, then it is a good idea. If it can be played here, I want to play here.”

Sinn Fein and the Social Democrats will both bring motions to the Dail this week calling on the Government to stop the Israel game but Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are both backing the FAI stance that the game must be played in Dublin.

Read the story on the times here.

Katie McCabe has fulfilled a lifelong dream and signed for the Chelsea club she idolised as a young girl in Tallaght - with dreams of one day wearing the same club shirt as Damien Duff.

From a family of Chelsea diehards back in Dublin and now in Cork with Ireland preparing for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Holland, McCabe was unveiled as a Chelsea player as her Arsenal contract came to an end.

The Irish Independent reports that McCabe said: “It’s a new chapter in my career. This is something that I feel I’m ready for right now. All I wanted was Damien Duff shirts when I was a kid, and he was winning trophies with Jose Mourinho.”

Read the full article on the irish independent here.

Newly capped by Ireland senior boss Heimir Hallgrimsson, midfielder Rory Finneran will drop down to the under 21 squad for upcoming friendlies against Croatia and Qatar and a training camp just outside Zagreb this week.

RTE Sport reports that Ireland boss Jim Crawford, who worked with the senior setup as Finneran made his debut against Grenada in Spain last month, has included the 19-year-old in his travelling party for the first time, alongside seven other new faces.

Newcomers also included are Dundalk striker attacker Gbemi Arubi, Cork City teenager Cillian Murphy, Shamrock Rovers pair John O’Sullivan and Naj Razi, Burnley’s Kian McMahon-Brown, Brighton and Hove Albion defender Sean Keogh and Stoke City’s Gabriel Kelly.

Read the full story on rte here.

The key stories developing today

Heimir Hallgrimsson said after Ireland’s 1-0 win over Qatar at the Aviva Stadium that he respects the rights of those fans who twice threw tennis balls onto the pitch in support of the Stop The Game protests around the Israel fixtures scheduled for the autumn.

Protestors draped the tennis balls in Palestine colours as they brought the friendly international to a halt in the 10th and 20th minutes of an otherwise fairly uneventful game.

Only the red card harshly handed out to Jack Moylan just before the break and another headed goal from Nathan Collins, after just five minutes, competed with the tennis ball protest for attention on the night.

And Hallgrimsson, whilst admitting it distracted him, had no issues with those who exercised their right to protest against the ongoing insistence by the FAI board and management team that the Israel Nations League games will be played in September and October.

The Irish Independent quotes Hallgrimsson as saying: “It didn’t bother me very much. We respect the protest.

“Everybody has a right to protest. It just kills a game. If they want to destroy the game for us then, so be it. Obviously it’s not fun to see, especially for (those of) us who are trying to think about the football side.”

The Icelandic native also praised Moylan who followed last month’s hat-trick on his Ireland debut with a red card on his home debut.

Asked about Moylan’s night, he said: “I was really pleased. He was a big loss for us. We opted to go with a back five still and a three in front of them.

“I’m happy for him and he did very well in the time when he was on the pitch. It was a mistake from someone else (the referee).

“He did a brilliant first half. Let’s see how he starts next season in the Championship but the potential is there 100%.”

Read the full story on the irish independent here.

Sol Campbell scored the only Arsenal goal the last time the Gunners played in the Champions League final - and he’s keeping his fingers crossed that his former club can see the job through second time around after Barcelona won the 2006 decider 2-1.

Campbell told the Guardian’s Donald McRae that Arsenal were due a Premier League title this season, 22 years after he lifted the trophy with the Invincibles. And that success can act as an inspiration in Budapest on Saturday night.

He added: “They’ve got a wonderful group of players and a great manager in Mikel Arteta but having come so close three times on the bounce I felt these guys needed it.

“The wait has been so heavy and it was all pent up, building year after year, always coming so close but never getting over the line. That’s why you saw such an outpouring of joy and togetherness. It’s been incredible because we’ve been waiting such a long time.

“You need to strike while the iron’s hot. You don’t know when you’re going to have that same beautiful run to the final. We’ve got an incredible defence, they’ve got incredible forwards, but after winning the league there is slightly less pressure on Arsenal. It’s still not going to be easy.

“It would be incredible if we can get a 3-2 win. But we’ve g

Read the story on the guardian here.

Ireland under 21 international Kevin Zefi is ready to kickstart his career by securing a regular first team spot at Sligo Rovers after a deal to play with the Showgrounds club until the end of the season.

One of the country’s top rated young players a few seasons ago, Zefi knows he needs to take his chance under new boss John Russell as he prepares to make his debut at home to Bohs on Friday night after spells with Inter and Roma in Italy.

The RTE website quotes Zefi as saying: “John Russell gave me a huge opportunity to come up here and train with the team. This place feels like home straight away and I feel I’m settling in already. Once the offer was there, signing wasn’t really a question.”

Read the story on rte here.

Neymar’s return to international football may be delayed after the World Cup bound Brazilian superstar was ruled out for two to three weeks with a calf injury.

Friendlies against Panama and Egypt have already been ruled for the 34-year-old who last played for his country in late 2023 but was recalled for the World Cup by boss Carlo Ancelloti.

The BBC reports that Neymar is doubtful for Brazil’s opening World Cup Group C game on June 13th against Morocco in New Jersey but could return to play against Haiti and Scotland.

Read the full article on bbc sports here.

The Scottish FA have rewarded Steve Clarke for guiding his country to the World Cup finals with a contract extension that will run all the way to the end of 2030.

RTE reports that Clarke said: “I am truly honoured to lead my squad into our first men’s World Cup in 28 years and I’m proud to continue as head coach.”

Read the full story on rte here.

The key stories developing today

Heimir Hallgrimsson has called on Irish fans to give his players some slack around the Israel match fixture debate as the FAI prepare for a backlash from supporters on the same subject at Thursday night’s Aviva Stadium friendly against Qatar.

Hallgrimsson again voiced his own opposition to the Israeli war effort in Gaza at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday as the controversy continues over the National League games against Israel, scheduled for September away and October at home.

“Obviously focusing on the football side of things, I’ve already expressed my opinion on this matter, you don’t need to repeat that one,” he told RTÉ Sport at Wednesday’s press conference.

“But from a footballing perspective, it’s an obstacle I don’t like, and it’s unfair for the players to be in this position and us to be in this position. I don’t like us to be the bad guys. We are not the bad guys here. We just want to perform, we want to play, and the players would like to perform for the country and do well.

“I think the best answer for us is just to win this game, to win this war against them. That would be a perfect answer from my end. Other decisions are not made by us, but all the players would like to represent the country and do well for them, no matter who is the opponent.”

Hallgrimsson also voiced concerns over any bid to move the home match against Israel to a neutral venue.

He added: “It would obviously be a disadvantage from footballing reasons not to play at home. We’ve done really well at home. Hopefully, we’ll continue that against Qatar. So it’s building to be a strong fortress for us, the Aviva. And to move it, obviously, will lower our chances.

“So I hope people can rally around the players and us playing. So instead of protesting or doing something that’s damaging.”

Read the full story on rte here.

Seamus Coleman intends to enjoy the next two Ireland fixtures, against Qatar on Thursday night and Canada next weekend, and then take a holiday before deciding on his club future. But it looks like he intends to play on for his country.

“I have always said in my career, family first, football second, they are the only two things going for me, family and football,” he told RTÉ Sport ahead of the Qatar game.

“So family will absolutely come into it, but I honestly haven’t thought too much about a club or what is next. I am looking forward to these two Ireland games and am looking forward to going on holiday, but in football, you never know what will happen. Just see what is next, if it feels right or if it doesn’t.”

Ireland looks to be a part of that decision with Coleman looking to stay around long enough to feature at the Euro 28 finals.

He added: “I think it was just a conversation with the manager on the bus, just after training one day that got me thinking again. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about it, but I also know I have a responsibility to stay fit and stay active and to be performing, because it is not a given, of course.

“The carrot of the Euros and the manager at the moment wanting me to be around is definitely very tempting.”

Read the story on rte here.

Campaigners have circulated a letter to General Assembly members asking them to back a proposal to force the FAI to hold an EGM on Ireland’s scheduled Nations League game at home to Israel in October.

The Irish Sun’s Owen Cowzer reports that FAI members are seeking an EGM to put forward a motion calling on Ireland to refuse to play Israel.

The backers of the proposal include the Professional Footballers Association, the Irish Football Supporters Partnership, CK United, Cork City and Bohemians.

The FAI have insisted the games against Israel must go ahead home and away while Sports Ministers Patrick O’Donovan and Charlie McConalogue told the Oireachtas on Thursday that they will be staying away from the fixtures.

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Kasper Schmeichel’s Celtic career is over and his playing days have come to an end after the Danish goalkeeper accepted the full repercussions of a shoulder injury that will take at least a year to recover.

Sky Sports reports that the 39-year-old has announced his retirement less than a week after Celtic completed the double in Celtic but without him, due to that injury.

“When my contract with Celtic expires in June, I will stop my active football career,” Schmeichel announced. “It is a decision that has been made for me.

“I have consulted various surgeons and experts in relation to my shoulder, and they have told me that I should not expect to return to playing top football. I have given the decision a lot of thought, but I believe that now is the right time.”

Read the full article on sky sports here.

Michael O’Neill has extended his Northern Ireland contract by another four years and will now manage his country until 2032 after turning down an offer to manage Blackburn Rovers full-time after a successful spell as interim boss at Ewood Park when he kept them in the Championship.

Read the full story on the belfast telegraph here.

The key stories developing today

Ireland captain Nathan Collins says the international squad will listen to the views of any player who doesn’t want to play against Israel in the scheduled Nations League games next autumn and any decision to boycott the fixtures will be respected.

Collins was speaking after training ahead of Thursday night’s friendly against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium when more protests against the game are expected to be held.

“For players we just have to trust the FAI,” Collins told RTE Sport. “We have to trust the government that they know what they’re doing. We’re picked to play football. You know, we’re picked to represent our country. It’s a tough situation for us to be in and we have to trust the people around us, that they know what they are doing.

“What we’d speak about (as a group) is hard to say, because you need the whole group together. But if individuals wanted to take a stand, we are not going to stand against them, we are not going to hold them back. They are entitled to their own opinions. If they are very strong about that, we can’t stop them.”

Read the full story on rte here.

Stephen Bradley labelled Monday night’s 2-1 win against Bohs as extra special as Enda Stevens scored a late, late winner in the final derby to be played at the famous venue before Dalymount Park is demolished.

Bradley also told the Irish Independent that he will speak to Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson to ask that goalkeeper Ed McGinty is released to play against St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night.

“We’ve had some good results here, you go back to the semi-final of the FAI Cup some years back but this was special because I thought we were very good in the game,” said Bradley.

“It’s Dublin derbies. Any derby, you watch any game in the world and, regardless of the level, managers will say the same thing, it’s moments and momentum. That’s what derbies are about. It’s a small margin. Tonight they went for us.”

Read the story on the irish independent here.

Departing Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner wants to give the Eagles the perfect parting present with victory in tonight’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.

On the eve of the game, Glasner told the Irish Sun what a win and a trophy would mean before he signs off. He said: “It would mean a lot to me, to play with these players, with this group, where we have worked together for two years. And to give it back to our fans.

“It would mean a lot, especially for the players, for the group. I know how hard every single player, every single one of the staff, worked throughout the season.”

Read the story on the irish sun here.

Bruno Fernandes has reportedly asked Ole Gunner Solksjaer for Roy Keane’s phone number as the row between the Manchester United legends intensifies.

Keane has been critical of the manner in which Fernandes set a new record for assists in the Premier League this season while the Portugal midfielder claims that the Irishman has misrepresented him.

The Irish Mirror also reports that Keane appeared to take another swipe when sharing an Instagram story featuring the pointed message ‘too much attention makes a donkey think he’s a lion’.

Read the full article on the irish mirror here.

Former Ireland striker and Reading manager Noel Hunt is one of five new full-time lead coaches working with Irish underage teams across the age brackets from Under 15 to Under 19.

The Irish Examiner reports that Hunt, Chelsea Noonan, John Cotter, Keith O’Halloran, and James Scott will work alongside four full-time coaches - Graham Gartland, Conor McCormack, Mark Connors and Richie Smith.

Read the full story on the irish examiner here.

The key stories developing today

Ireland defender Liam Scales is looking forward to a Celtic reset next season after Martin O’Neill steered them to a League and Cup double at the end of a tumultuous campaign.

As he prepared to report for international duty, Scales told the media that Saturday’s 3-1 Cup final win over Dunfermline and the League success will allow the club to refocus over the summer.

As reported by the Irish Examiner, Scales said: “It gives us that chance to go into next season on a positive note. The last couple of months has all gone in one direction.

“It’s been great for us, it gives us a chance to go into next season on a positive note. But it also gives us that realisation that we need to continue to improve and continue to be at the top of our game, to win things, because we weren’t for stages of the season and that kind of put us in a difficult situation. So it’s a bit of both.

“You have that positivity in the group, and everyone’s buzzing, but then there’s also the sense that we need to push on again. We definitely made it more difficult for ourselves at times. But it’s never going to be smooth all the way through.

“It’s about bouncing back from all those little kind of ups and downs and we managed to do that. I guess it’s happened in the past and it’ll happen again, it’s never going to be 100 per cent smooth.

“So I think everyone can learn from mistakes and everyone’s included in that, players, coaches, board, it goes all the way up.”

Read the full story on the irish examiner here.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has branded Roy Keane a liar and defended his own character and achievements after setting a new record for Premier League assists.

The World Cup bound Portuguese midfielder was upset by Keane’s description of him as a clown amid reports, on the BBC amongst other outlets, that the former United captain had misquoted Fernandes.

After setting the assists record against Brighton on Sunday, Fernandes responded to Keane’s outburst and said: “Like I’ve always said, I don’t mind criticism. I’ve always taken criticism from everyone and anyone and I never reply to anything or whatsoever.

“People have an opinion; they think it’s good, bad, whatever. What I don’t like is when people lie about things and [in] this case that you said about Roy Keane basically what he said is a lie because… either he saw some other interview or he can’t say that I said one thing that I’ve just not said and luckily for me is everything on record.

“I accept his criticism, I accept that he might like me as a player or not, like me as a person or not. But what I don’t like is that he puts words in my mouth that have not been said. That’s the only thing I don’t like.”

Read the story on bbc sport here.

John Egan is back in the Premier League and proud of his Hull City team-mates for proving the critics wrong in Saturday’s Wembley win against Middlesbrough according to a report in the Irish Examiner.

Corkonian Egan said: “Everybody was writing us off but I thought we had a lot of lads who had either been promoted, played in the Premier League or played top-end Championship football.

“There are a lot of ups and downs, but I think what helped us this year was the amount of experience we had last summer.”

Read the story on the irish examiner here.

Murcia hat-trick striker Jack Moylan is back in the Ireland squad for Thursday night’s friendly against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium after a spate of withdrawals forced Heimir Hallgrimsson’s hand.

Alan Browne, Alex Gilbert, Ryan Manning, Finn Azaz and Andrew Omobamidele are all out of the end of season games with Dara O’Shea and Moylan to be involved only for the Qatar game. Dawson Devoy and Conor Coventry will travel to Canada while Jamie McGrath and Killian Phillips are in for both games according to RTE.

Read the full article on rte here.

Lionel Messi has handed Argentina a World Cup injury scare after he limped out of his final MLS game before the tournament as Inter Miami defeated the Philadelphia Union 6-4.

The Athletic reports that remarks from interim Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos in his postgame press conference seemed to play down any potential severity of the Messi leg injury.

Read the full story on the athletic here.

The key stories developing today

Martin O’Neill will discuss his future with Celtic owner Dermot Desmond this week and hasn’t ruled out remaining at the club after steering the Bhoys to an unexpected double, sealed with Saturday’s 3-1 Scottish Cup final win over Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline at Hampden Park.

The 42 website is one of many outlets reporting on O’Neill’s post match remarks when he told a press conference that he won’t rule out continuing in the role after saving Celtic’s season following the departures of Brendan Rodgers and William Nancy.

The website reports that when asked about his future, the former Republic of Ireland boss said: “If you were asking me, will you start back in a week’s time? I genuinely couldn’t do that.

“I’ll have to have a think. I think in the next week, I’ll meet up with the owner (Dermot Desmond), see what he’s saying. He hasn’t said anything to me, so I don’t know whether that’s good news or bad news.

“I will genuinely have a wee look at it to see. But I would be thinking that the football club, to go forward, to go forward properly, would probably be looking at somebody younger. I would have thought that in the last few weeks they would be looking at options.”

Read the full story on the42 here.

Spurs had only confirmed their Premier League survival when new boss Roberto De Zerbi was already looking to start plans for next season, knowing that another 17th place finish isn’t good enough after the 1-0 win over Everton that kept them up.

Speaking to the media after a Joao Palhinha goal ensured the great escape on the final day of the season, De Zerbi outlined his plans.

The BBC reports that he said: “It’s now around 7pm, and around 8pm or 9pm we will start working towards next season.

“Next season we have to build a top, top, top team. We don’t have to change too many players in our squad, but we have to bring in some first level players.”

Read the story on bbc sport here.

Ireland boss Carla Ward has slammed Arsenal’s decision to release Katie McCabe, now linked with a summer move to WSL rivals Chelsea or Manchester City.

Ward told the Irish Mirror’s Mark McCadden that it is ‘bonkers’ that McCabe is no longer a Gunner and that Katie would feature in the Ballon D’Or reckoning if she was English.

“I hope we don’t speak out of turn by saying this, but if Katie was English, I think everybody would be saying right now she should be in Ballon d’Or conversations,” said Ward who has included Katie in her squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the Netherlands and France.

Read the story on the irish mirror here.

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley has again confirmed that goalkeeper Ed McGinty and winger Adam Brennan will be released from club duty to report in with Ireland on Monday morning for the upcoming friendlies - even though derby opponents Bohs have kept Dawson Devoy back for Monday’s Dalymount Park clash.

Speaking to the Irish Sun after Friday’s home defeat to Sligo, Bradley said: “Adam will meet up, and Ed’s the same, no change. I’ve been talking for a long time that players in the league deserve to be called up, who have the ability to be called up. What they’ve done is irrelevant really.”

Read the full article on the irish sun here.

Robbie Keane is being linked with Celtic again after the record Ireland scorer confirmed his departure as manager of Hungarian side Ferencvaros where he won the league title last season and the Cup this campaign.

“After an incredibly enjoyable and successful 16 months at Ferencvaros, I have made the difficult decision to bring my time at the football club to an end,” said Keane, as quoted by RTE Sport.

Read the full story on rte here.