The Corkman is now expected to miss the rest of the season.

With the sun blazing down on a splendid looking Turner’s Cross for yesterday evening’s international between the Republic of Ireland and Belarus, one couldn’t help but feel not only pride in being Irish, but pride in being from Cork.

For the vast majority, Sunday evening’s friendly against Georgia was a forgettable outing, shorn of any competitive edge, but you’d be hard pushed to convey such a sense of insignificance to Stephen Quinn.