Much as he was satisfied with the ample positives of Ireland’s 3-1 win against New Zealand, arguably the biggest lesson Mick McCarthy will take from that sideshow game into Monday’s crunch encounter with Denmark is that some of the blemishes of Thursday’s performance could, if not eliminated, prove fatal against Christian Eriksen and company.

As Mick McCarthy heaped more praise on Stephen Kenny’s Ireland U21s, striker Adam Idah is adamant the squad are comfortable with the growing hype surrounding them.

From the return of James McCarthy to the arrival of Troy Parrot, Nathan