News: Arsenal are in pole position to sign Shamrock Rovers teenager Victor Ozhianvuna (16) on a pre contract deal with the Hoops believing he can be the next seven figure export from the LOI Ozhianvuna not able to sign for UK until Jan 2027. m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

News: Shamrock Rovers co-owner Dermot Desmond has penned explosive letter to members which includes line that fan elected directors have 'persistently' sought to have Stephen Bradley replaced A spokesperson for members board has denied the claim m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

S9E9: James Keddy and Paul Doolin are in studio this week. Ten years apart, will they get back together? Dan talks good vibes in Drogheda. Another busy mailbag. Enjoy. Apple shorturl.at/72xve Soundcloud shorturl.at/pEZ95 Spotify shorturl.at/x7oU8

Packie Bonner hasn't lived in Ireland for years & has made some bizarre & questionable comments since joining the FAI board - and yet it seems like his influence is growing A piece on a comeback that has generated unease as opposed to reassurance m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Evan Ferguson: ‘I feel good, I feel like I’m in a good place’ m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Daniel McDonnell: Heimir Hallgrimsson must figure out if he can fit Evan Ferguson and Finn Azaz into the same team m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

League of Ireland PD clubs tell FAI they will not be releasing players to participate in 'poorly conceived' centralised coaching hours plan delivered by Canham/Robinson last Thurs Strong PCA letter outlines frustration with lack of academy funding progress www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

“Can I be brutally honest? The decisions that are being made within the FAI..I think they are making a right bollocks out of everything.” Caught up with James McClean during the week. He’s got a few things to say about the direction of Irish football m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

open.spotify.com/episode/3wQt...

Patrick Hickey quit a steady job in Chicago during the pandemic to see if he could get anywhere with ⚽️. His journey involved couch surfing & washing dishes in 🇪🇸 before an agent offered an 🇮🇪 option Piece on unlikely story behind league’s top scorer m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Galway’s tribute to Caulfield, Sligo strife, Shels slip under radar, red mist in Derry and a baffling result in Athlone 5 takeaways from last night in the LOI - a new Sat morning piece we will be carrying through the season m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Late piece from Tallaght. Shamrock Rovers sniffed blood but after all the sweat, they were only left with tears as a big chance passed by The regret will be that Molde were there for the taking - have no doubt that a full strength team would have dealt with them www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

10 years ago, a total of 18k attended Week 1 in both divisions This weekend, over 51k attended the LOI Premier Div games alone, a figure inflated by today's worthy experiment. At a crucial time, the numbers are both a statement & a fact. Piece from Aviva www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Who owns every club in the League of Ireland? A piece looking at the range of backers - from Irish billionaires to half a dozen clubs with support from North America and then the multi club and member run models (and grey area around the odd club too) m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Sixteen-year-old Michael Noonan breaks European record as Shamrock Rovers secure huge win in Norway m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

After a winter hiatus, the Halfway Line newsletter returns this week. We've changed the release day this year so the email will be coming your way every Thursday morning. Sign up for free at the link here www.independent.ie/service/sign...

Molde’s Aker Stadium is one of the most picturesque venues in Europe. A quiet place but it’s rare you walk out of a press exit to this…

‘There’s nobody giving out, the world hasn’t ended’ – The League of Ireland club training in a GAA Centre of Excellence m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Mason Melia themed podcast with @molloyjoe.bsky.social for @independent.ie open.spotify.com/episode/5RG8...

Record breaking Tottenham move is a big step for Mason Melia, and a giant leap for Irish football. Piece on a gamechanging transfer and the importance of a LOI owner - Garrett Kelleher - with the means to reject offers and hold out for the best deal m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

It’s quiet over here .. but Gavin Bazunu is flying to Belgium with a view to completing loan move to Standard Liege Had options around Europe. Ajax amongst those to enquire but looks 🇧🇪 bound - connection with Liege sporting director Fergal Harkin (loan manager at Man City) a key factor

‘I can’t control what people say’ – Behind the scenes with Robbie Keane as he begins Hungary adventure m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Greetings from Budapest where Robbie Keane is preparing for his first home game as manager of Ferencvaros. Spoke at his press conference earlier about the reaction to his contentious time in Israel & his broader managerial plans www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Shamrock Rovers bolster squad with signing of veteran former Celtic defender Adam Matthews m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

www.independent.ie/sport/soccer... Daniel McDonnell: Alienating Colin Healy is an own goal for the FAI at a time when their job is to rebuild trust

A piece on the League of Ireland’s imminent break-up with RTE - a complicated relationship that will never quite be the same again www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Colin Healy has accused the FAI of lacking ‘transparency and compassion’ in the handling of his departure from Irish women's team set-up after the toughest year of his life. FAI will face some questions about this m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Getting knocked back by Michael O’Leary, hiring Damien Duff and Turkish takeovers – meet the man behind Shelbourne’s renaissance m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

In 2011, Offaly’s Fearghal Kerin (21) mailed every English and LOI club looking for physio work & only Michael O’Neill obliged It set him on a journey to the Premier League & a surreal Chelsea life of private jets, private physios & much more Interview here m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

What do these pictures of World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez taking a trip on the DART & picking up a hurl on a trip to Greystones have to do with the last time that Shamrock Rovers played a Premier League team in Europe? Have a piece on the person who links the 2 stories in tomorrow’s Sunday Indo

Ireland World Cup fixtures (KO Irish times) Sat Sep 6: Hungary (H) - 7.45 Tues Sep 9: Armenia (A) - 5.0 Sat Oct 11: Portugal/Denmark (A) - 7.45 Tues Oct 14: Armenia (H) - 7.45 Thurs Nov 13: Portugal/Denmark (H)- 7.45 Sun Nov 16: Hungary (A) - 2.0

Ireland's World Cup qualifying group - Portugal or Denmark (winners of Nations League tie in March) - Hungary - Armenia Could be better, could have been much worse. Budapest and Yerevan are terrific cities to visit

The Conference League moves out of Tallaght as the circus moves in and no that’s not an AGM reference

Stephen Bradley's players let the football do the talking as Johnny Kenny inspires another Euro win. Live piece as Rovers bring their Euro pot to €5.5m - they are one of just three unbeaten teams in the Conference League. Handy trip to Stamford Bridge next www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Shamrock Rovers well on the way to making it 11 points from 15 in the group stage - which is giddy talk for a League of Ireland club. 2-0 up against FK Borac as we hit the hour mark in Tallaght. Johnny Kenny potentially playing his way somewhere else for next season.

If the club wants to keep evolving…it needs to sort itself out" - interesting comments from Stephen Bradley today as behind the scenes unrest between ownership factions clashes with build-up to another big European night for Rovers m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

It’s still simmering away behind the scenes at Shamrock Rovers. A piece on their short lived flirtation with Bournemouth’s owners, the reasons it went nowhere, and why they are facing into a big week both on and off the field m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Shamrock Rovers news in LOI transfer wrap here. Rovers have made a second bid for Darragh Burns after first offer rejected. www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Expecting news this morning about a League of Ireland player being hit with a six month ban for betting offences. Relates to an individual at a First Division club.

Significant vote tonight with FAI delegates endorsing a move to a calendar year schedule that will be fully implemented by 2028. 57pc voted in favour Piece here on the meeting and comments from both sides www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Mistakes happen in all forms of media but still pretty mad this map got into the Ireland match programme for the Wales game last night. The translation of Londonderry should perhaps have set off a few alarm bells.

Shamrock Rovers are discussing personal terms with Ed McGinty as Tallaght move draws closer - Hoops are also interested in trying to revive Danny Grant's career after his exit from Bohemians. More details on our rolling LOI blog here www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Irish election a bit like an Irish Nations League campaign. Lot of chat about the importance of the whole thing and the possibilities created by the permutations and you still end up back where you started

Shamrock Rovers fans on plane informed me of another big result in Vienna. Beer in ground included €2.50 deposit on glass that most were unaware of. Young Rovers fan (U-12) spent most of game scooping up discarded empties & presented them at f/t. The €425 should cover his next trip

Dialled in from Vienna this morning to chat with @molloyjoe.bsky.social about last night and also discuss football’s role in election week and the importance of the Bohs-Rovers Aviva experiment open.spotify.com/episode/5O8j...

Shamrock Rovers' German goalkeeper Leon Pohls understood everything the Rapid fans were saying to him last night. "Jesus Christ, I got some abuse," he says. But he loved every minute of it. www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

🚨 New podcast episode is LIVE! 🇮🇪 I sat down with @danmcdonnell.bsky.social to discuss Evan Ferguson, who finds himself at a crossroads after his incredible Brighton breakthrough. 👇 Have a listen! podfollow.com/1737070477

In Stephen Bradley’s first competitive match as a 40-year-old, a coming-of-age performance in Europe from his Shamrock Rovers side. Live piece from Vienna m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

Brilliant equaliser from Johnny Kenny levels it up for Shamrock Rovers in Vienna - good movement after a superb run and cross from Josh Honohan. They've been under the cosh for most of this game and VAR overturned a penalty but they'd have taken this scenario at 60 mins.