Also included is Aston Villa's Glenn Whelan, who was expected to have played his last game for Ireland after captaining the side in a 36-minute ceremonial cameo against Northern Ireland in November.

His predecessor Martin O’Neill had to wait 10 months for his first competitive match, but half that duration is just as frustrating for Mick McCarthy when he’s had no Ireland fixtures at all.

If Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford is to find his way to the net for Ireland then, first of all, it would be helpful if he could find his way to a phone.

Will Keane has become the first of what Mick McCarthy hopes is a steady stream of Ireland recruits under his reign.

Mick McCarthy insists that Seamus Coleman will retain his place in the Irish side — and the captaincy — regardless of his varying fortunes at Everton this season.

Whatever this was, friendly or competitive fare, it was carnage. And who’s to say it will get any better?

Ireland return to the familiar surroundings of the Stade de France this evening, caught between feelings of what might have been and what they hope is to come.

Martin O'Neill is hopeful that Jonathan Walters is ready to continue his Republic of Ireland career at the age of 34.

Although absent from this week’s trip to Turkey as he continues his recovery from knee surgery in January, Jon Walters has assured Martin O’Neill that he is not planning to retire from international football.

After the big freeze, the thaw, but you suspect that not even the most advanced computer models could have predicted that the temperature of Irish football would rise as dramatically as it has done over the past few days.

In calling up Declan Rice to his squad for this month’s training camp and friendly in Turkey, Martin O’Neill has stressed that the highly-rated young West Ham defender, who is still eligible to play senior football for both Ireland and England, will not come under any pressure to decide his international future.

Although there was no great surprise in news of his retirement, already the cavity in the Ireland team created by Wes Hoolahan’s absence is being sorely mourned.

Ireland won’t be part of the summer World Cup spectacle but there remains some burning issues for the game here in the year ahead.

Liam Brady believes the lack of emerging talent is linked to Kerr’s absence from an active role in Irish football and that he should be brought back into the fold.

Mark Kinsella feels history will repeat itself over the next 12 months when it comes to revamping Ireland’s international squad.

Rep of Ireland 1 Denmark 5

Right, here we go. Time to give the checklist a final once-over.

Ger McCarthy shares what we learned from Ireland's clash with Denmark…

Don’t expect a thriller

Average golfers have a saying: ‘It’s not how, it’s how many’.

Someone in the Garda Press Office has posted a cheeky joke - with an important message - ahead of Ireland’s match with Denmark on Saturday.

James McCarthy has been named in a 34-man Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup play-offs against Denmark.

Job done, for now, Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland players turn their attention back to domestic matters for the next four weeks, all too aware of the need to impress with their clubs before the World Cup play-offs swing around.

It must be the dawn of a new era when one of Ireland’s great recoveries didn’t require the deft touches of Wes Hoolahan, but this wasn’t an evening for silken skills.

Wales 0 Republic of Ireland 1: This Irish team may rarely if ever command games but they certainly provide magic moments. And sometimes, as on this incredible night in Cardiff, they’re special enough to far outlast the 90.

You’ll remember the bottle of gin from Friday. The hipsterish Brooklyn Gin with the hand-cracked juniper berries and freshly cut citrus peels. The seal remains unbroken.

James McClean sent the Republic of Ireland into a World Cup play-off as Wales' hopes of qualification were ended by a 1-0 defeat in Cardiff.

Daryl Murphy, who scored both goals in Friday's win over Moldova, is expected to spearhead the Irish attack again.

Daryl Murphy will remember last Friday’s home game against Moldova as the night he trebled his international tally.

Martin O'Neill has challenged the Republic of Ireland to give skipper Seamus Coleman a World Cup incentive as he moves closer to a comeback.

Martin O’Neill had told us to keep the faith and events last night, in Dublin, Vienna, and elsewhere besides, will have secured no small number of converts as the Republic of Ireland push for Russia’s promised land.

Enda McEvoy reflects on how the game - and punditry - played out on TV.

Ireland 2 - Moldova 0: Job done, but a lot more to do.

Iceland are on the brink of reaching their first ever World Cup after recording a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Group I rivals Turkey in Istanbul.

Shane Long suffered a frustrating evening while Daryl Murphy trebled his goal tally.

Martin O’Neill was pleased with the Republic of Ireland’s performance but emphasised getting a win over Moldova was much more important ahead of Monday’s visit to Cardiff.

The Republic of Ireland registered an excepted victory over Moldova but much more importantly, delivered a morale-boosting performance ahead of Monday’s visit to Wales.

Daryl Murphy's first-half double set up an intriguing World Cup qualification trip to Wales as the Republic of Ireland eased past Moldova 2-0.

“We have to win the games and the equation is really simple,” was Martin O’Neill’s decisive summation yesterday, as he contemplated Ireland’s World Cup qualifying landscape with two group games to go.

Football’s place in the grand scheme of things was made plain again last week with the news of Kevin Doyle’s forced retirement.

Irish fans might be braced for a climactic end to the World Cup campaign, but Keith Andrews is warning them not to get too optimistic about a recovery anytime soon.

Any honest assessment of Martin O’Neill’s stewardship of the Irish team has to begin with the acknowledgement that he has not been dealt a great hand in terms of the quality of the players at his disposal, writes Liam Brady.

Martin O'Neill has revealed the Republic of Ireland are desperate to keep their World Cup dream alive for injured skipper Seamus Coleman.