IRELAND’S win against Wales on Wednesday, welcome and encouraging though it might have been, was placed in perspective by finding itself sandwiched between two thrilling trips down memory lane on ESPN Classic.

ANY loosed-tongued World Cup commentator tempted to describe an own goal as “a tragedy” would do well to note that yesterday, July 2, marked the 16th anniversary of the murder of Andres Escobar, the Colombian player whose final major act for his country had been to put through his own goal in a game against the host nation at USA ‘94.

IT’S the kind of occasion that has the potential to unnerve the most experienced of pros but Glenn Whelan insists that all the pressure will be on France rather than Ireland when the sides meet at Croke Park tonight.

IF WE didn’t know better – and if Richard Dunne wasn’t as big as he is – we might dare to suggest that the Manchester City man’s pre-match injection on Saturday night must have been of the performance-enhancing kind.