THE Republic of Ireland may not be in South Africa but supporters of the Boys in Green will have savoured France’s defeat to Mexico last night, a result that leaves Raymond Domenech’s side staring at the prospect of saying an early ‘au revoir’ to the 2010 World Cup.

SOME 75,000 unionists, farmers and leftists yesterday marched to protest price increases in basic foodstuffs like tortillas. This is seen as a direct challenge to the new president’s market-oriented economic policies blamed by some for widening the gulf between rich and poor.