Premiership: Damien Duff's first goal of the season for Blackburn was a spectacular one (a left-foot volley from the edge of the box) but it was a mere consolation score in a 3-1 home defeat by Liverpool. Barry Quinn, one of Duff's team-mates at the World Youth Cup in Nigeria, was also on the losing side at the weekend (away to Leicester) but at least the young Dubliner appears to be establishing himself in the Coventry first team. Meanwhile Irish under-21 Mark McKeever made his first start for Sheffield Wednesday (after a loan spell at Reading) in the 0-0 draw against Chelsea at Hillsborough yesterday.

Division One: Thomas Heary, yet another of Brian Kerr's under-20 squad, who had the misfortune to miss the penalty against Nigeria that led to the team's elimination from the tournament, made his first appearance of the season for Huddersfield in a 1-0 home defeat by Barnsley.

Crumlin United old-boy Alan Mahon, linked with a string of Premiership clubs in recent months, gave Tranmere the lead with a 45th-minute penalty against Port Vale, but fellow Irish under-21 Alan Lee, on loan from Aston Villa, equalised in the 61st minute to boost his side's hopes of avoiding relegation. Also amongst the goals in Division One were John Durnin, who scored Portsmouth's third in their 3-1 win over Stockport, and Mickey Evans who got West Brom's goal in yesterday's 1-1 draw at Wolves.

Division Two: Sean Devine's seventh goal in seven games since joining Wycombe from Barnet last month helped his side to a 2-1 win over Manchester City at Maine Road while Dave Savage scored his second in a week, in Northampton's 3-3 draw with Colchester.

Scotland: If any of Keith O'Halloran's pals back in his native Dublin are Celtic fans he better keep his head down on his next trip home. On Saturday the former Cherry Orchard player scored the St Johnstone goal that beat Celtic and all but ensured Rangers will win the title this season.