Small international teams tend to be coached either by jobbing domestic insiders or legendary ex-players acting out a labour of love.

The direction of travel has shifted, the mythical thing has been glimpsed, the shining city spotted on the distant hill: being a proper football country.

Captain Evan O’Connell, nephew of Paul and veteran of last year’s success, claims the U20s are “next moment focused”, one of the senior team’s favourite catchphrases under Andy Farrell.

Farrell was asked if Ireland would have to become a different team without Sexton, like when Queen went on the road without Freddie Mercury.

The hurling champions, St Thomas’, are your classic club championship case study, an amalgam of townlands that amounts to a few hundred houses on the road from Loughrea to Gort, the kind of place the competition’s sponsor would use in an ad campaign.

His squad announcement suggests Andy Farrell is not going to hand the keys of a new era to a bunch of ruddy-cheeked whippersnappers,

While the exploits of Luke Littler were among the delights of the festive season just gone, there was one faction for whom the 16-year-old arrowsmith’s rise to fame was less than ideal.

Back to Germany this time for a European football championship, where a mix of nations and a sprinkling of booze will smoothen the edges of national character as everybody clicks in together like a silly children’s jigsaw. Hopefully...

Sexton was made up of loves and fears and shame and pride just like the rest of us.

The new Club World Cup is an orgy of unnecessary.