Denmark are second, three points behind the Republic of Ireland in Group D, after Christian Eriksen converted two penalties in a 6-0 rout of Gibraltar.

A look at the lessons we can take from tonight's draw against Denmark.

The last time Shane Duffy scored against Denmark with a header…well, do we really need to go through all that again?

Never a man to turn a drama into a crisis, Seamus Coleman tried to turn the temperature down on the latest meeting of old foes in Copenhagen.

If there can be such a thing as an upside for Mick McCarthy in seeing four players succumb to friendly fire on the training pitch — Shane Long having now followed Alan Browne, Mark Travers and Luca Connell out of the squad since preparations for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar began on the Algarve — it’s that none would have been likely to start in Copenhagen on Friday night.

John Fallon Denmark’s Henrik Dalsgaard is expecting Mick McCarthy to enrich Copenhagen with an entertaining Ireland side for their crunch Euro meeting in June.

Age Hareide believes that Ireland’s decline since the high of the Euro 2016 finals is a lesson which should not be lost on his in-form Danish team.

Harry Arter never wanted, nor asked for, an apology from Roy Keane over the bust-up that prompted the Cardiff City midfielder to step away from the international game last month.

Martin O’Neill can’t have been all that happy with Age Hareide’s take on last year’s World Cup play-off second leg when the Danish coach sarcastically thanked the Irish manager for offering Christian Eriksen the freedom of Dublin.

There's no Christian Eriksen in the Denmark squad for the upcoming Nations League meeting with the Republic of Ireland later this month.

Martin O’Neill has spoken in the past of how he likes the all or nothing games, of how knowing that only a victory will do helps “clear the mind.”

Don’t expect a thriller

David Meyler is convinced the Republic of Ireland will be heading for the World Cup finals in Russia.

Denmark’s Thomas Delaney described trying to break down Ireland’s defensive formation as “trying to open a tin of baked beans with your bare hands.”

The Republic of Ireland squad launch their latest bid for play-off glory on Saturday evening when they face Denmark in Copenhagen with a place at next summer’s World Cup finals at stake.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

A man who threatened to rape and kill a garda, shoot her colleague and blow them both up has been jailed for two years.

A man is to be sentenced later after he threatened to rape and kill a garda, shoot her colleague and blow them both up.

SHAMROCK ROVERS came into last night’s Champions League qualifier knowing they were facing formidable opposition in Copenhagen, a team studded with full internationals and players with knockout stage experience of Europe’s biggest competition.

I WISH to highlight the shabby way our elderly are treated by some local authorities.

IN the early months of World War 1, three myths arose. The first was that burly Cossacks sent by the Czar to help the Allies on the western front were seen embarking from British railway stations for Dover bound for France.

A MAN has told how he was almost killed by a frozen block of urine and water, which fell 30,000ft from an aeroplane toilet.