9 April 2026; Denise O’Sullivan during a Republic of Ireland women’s training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Fever pitch awaits in a Dublin derby for the ages
Football will do the talking tonight
Cathal Dervan - Editor
Friday night fever will be all the rage at Tallaght Stadium tonight as Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers entertain Bohemians at the best ground in the League of Ireland for what is arguably the biggest Dublin derby of them all.
It was tempting to say Rovers will welcome Bohs to south Dublin but I’m not really sure the word welcome is entirely appropriate in this instance, such is the rivalry between these two great clubs.
What is certain is that The Hoops against The Gypsies is always special and tonight there are a few extra ingredients that will only add fuel to the fire.
Both sides have players in their ranks who are being talked about as potential call-ups to the experimental Ireland squad that Heimir Hallgrimsson will bring to Spain for a training camp and friendly against Grenada next month.
6 April 2026; Ronan Mansfield of Waterford fouls Dawson Devoy of Bohemians to concede a penalty during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Bohemians and Waterford at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Photo by Paul Phelan/Sportsfile
Ed McGinty, Matt Healy, Adam Brennan, new to Rovers after his pre-season move from UCD, and Dawson Devoy are rightly in the frame to feature in the first Ireland squad post Prague as the Boys in Green emerge from the World Cup ashes.
Bohs manager Alan Reynolds, as you will read elsewhere here, is open to the idea of allowing the hugely talented Devoy to skip LOI games in May if it helps him win a senior cap for his country.
We’ve yet to hear from Stephen Bradley on his trio’s prospects of a few weeks off club duty but with captain Pico Lopes already booked in for World Cup duty with Cape Verde in June, Bradley may not be quite as keen on player sharing.
What’s important to acknowledge here is the fact that four LOI youngsters are being talked about as Ireland call-ups in waiting - and elder statesman Jack Byrne wouldn’t be out of place in that conversation either on current form.
What’s great here is that all four youngsters will get the opportunity to show us why they are on Hallgrimsson’s radar in front of a live TV audience when the match goes out on Virgin Media tonight.
The more eyes that see the potential of these LOI players the better - the more they can impress the viewers, the more chance some of those viewers will make the move from couch to grandstand.
The Virgin Media studio line-up is also a positive this evening when Damien Duff will make his first public appearance since leaving his job as Shelbourne manager, an appointment that really brought attention to our League.
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His TV work tonight will also bring more eyes and ears to the game which is another welcome addition - as is the fact that Rovers are hosting a corporate dinner before the game which has attracted sponsors, potential business partners and owners and opened up a new commercial opportunity for the club.
Such pre-match functions are the norm in most major European Leagues so here’s hoping that this event becomes another regular feature for Irish football.
Enough about matters off the field tonight however. What we can guarantee is a blood and guts derby - one that is unlikely to remain scoreless by the half-time whistle, never mind full-time.
Rovers went top of the league with their win at Pats last Friday night. Bohs lost the only unbeaten record left in the Premier Division when they were beaten at home by Galway the same night.
Both teams will have a point to prove tonight. It promises to be a cracker. It deserves to be.
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Friday Night Fever - League of Ireland football writer Darryl Geraghty and editor Cathal Dervan discuss Bohs and Rovers ahead of the big Dublin derby.
The key stories developing today
Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch remains defiant in the face of pressure as his side prepare for Friday night’s trip to a Shelbourne side also under the cosh from their fans after an indifferent start to the Premier Division season.
As reported by the Irish Sun and other outlets and after a 2-2 draw at Dundalk last weekend, Lynch is confident that Derry can end a seven game winless run at Tolka Park, a sequence of events that has led to calls for Lynch’s sacking.
Lynch however is confident his team will turn their fortunes around - and his - and said: “I think that the best indicator of a team is how hard they work. They certainly don’t need to be coaxed day in, day out to do the work.
“Even in Dundalk, we were hugely disappointed with the second goal that we conceded to let them back into the game. The first goal was 25-30 yards out, and being hyper-critical we probably could have got to the ball a bit quicker.
“You see the work ethic in that group of boys and throwing themselves in front of the ball. There’s bits and pieces we need to do better in both boxes but they’re things we’re just working on on a daily basis to try and put right.”
Bohemians boss Alan Reynolds will put club before country and release star midfielder Dawson Devoy for Ireland’s summer camp in Spain next month if it means the Meath native will win his first senior international cap.
Reynolds and Devoy first worked together with the Irish Under 21s and the Dalymount supremo is ready to do without Devoy if Irish boss Heimir Halgrimsson calls him for the training camp and a friendly against Grenada in Murcia on May 16th.
Ahead of Friday night’s big Dublin derby at Shamrock Rovers, The Irish Independent’s Aidan Fitzmaurice quotes Reynolds as saying: “I’m a bit old school in this. I think it would be a fantastic honour for any League of Ireland player to get called up. I wouldn’t be one for standing in his [Devoy] way if selected, but obviously if we have games, then it’s different,” says Reynolds.
“Closer to the time we can see but I just would love to see him get capped for his country. I think he deserves it. We’ll see if he’s selected.”
Robbie Keane may be the frontrunner to become Celtic manager in the summer but right now he is only interested in retaining the Hungarian league title with Ferencvaros according to Scotland’s Daily Record.
Ferencvaros returned to the top of the NIB1 table with a 2-1 win over Puskas Academy earlier this week and can take a major step towards another championship with a win at second placed Gyor on Sunday, who are level on points with just four games remaining this season.
The Record reports that Keane is focussed on the remaining four games. After the midweek win, he said: “The boys showed real character to turn the tables with two quick goals. I think at this level of the league there are ups and downs, but the most important thing is to win today.
“Everything in football depends on mentality. I expect a very tough match against Gyor, away from home, as our opponent has had a good season so far.”
Gianno Infantino has again stated categorically that Iran will play at the World Cup finals in America this summer with the FIFA President saying they will be there ‘for sure’ according to reports.
The 42 website carries the story with Infantino quoted as telling broadcaster CNBC that: “Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help.
“But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play.”
Iran are due to play two games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle in the World Cup in June.
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has confirmed to his Instagram account that he will bring the curtain down on his nine-year stint with the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The BBC Football website quotes Treble winning Silva as saying: “What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart. The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the four in a row and much more. It wasn’t that bad.”
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