Hoolahan simply makes everybody else in the Irish team play better and, because they know they can give him the ball, his mere presence takes the pressure off his team mates, writes Liam Brady.

Strolling through a Dublin shopping centre yesterday, Jeff Hendrick sampled a new phenomenon that comes with the territory from shining for your country at a major tournament.

Martin O'Neill saluted James McClean after the West Brom winger's double handed the Republic of Ireland World Cup qualifier victory in Moldova.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Moldova 1 Republic of Ireland 3: In the usual manner, Ireland made this harder for themselves than was strictly necessary, not for the first time surrendering an early lead in a game, before a second half James McClean brace reasserted the visitors’ general superiority and deservedly sent them joint top on points of Group D with Serbia.

Martin O’Neill was understandably beaming at the result in Chisinau, not least because his team had repaired some self-inflicted damage which, had it gone untreated, could have put a very different gloss on the night.

The Republic of Ireland will attempt to complete a maximum points haul from their October World Cup qualifiers when they face Moldova in Chisinau tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow night, Ireland might be playing a Moldovan side who are propping up the Group D table, without a point or even a goal to their name so far, writes Liam Mackey of the Irish Examiner in Chisinau.

In the immediate aftermath of a 1-0 win over Georgia which could so every easily have been a draw or worse for Ireland, Martin O’Neill described his team’s first-half performance as “very ordinary.” 

Ireland are in final four action in the FIBA European Championships for Small Countries this evening with the men’s side facing Armenia and the women’s side taking on Andorra.

Ireland were made to work hard but eventually saw off San Marino 79-55 to finish top of Pool A in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Chisinau.

Ireland’s Men’s and Women’s Senior Basketball teams secured semi-final berths at the FIBA European Championships for Small Countries yesterday with impressive victories on day two.

Ireland’s Women’s captain Orla O’Reilly has been ruled out of this week’s FIBA European Championships for Small Countries with a broken wrist.

Ireland’s men’s team will make an official return to European basketball next year, it was confirmed yesterday.

The fighting in eastern Ukraine has killed nearly 300 people in the last month despite a ceasefire and has violated people’s rights so much it could amount to war crimes, UN rights investigators said.

A collision between a cargo train and a passenger service near Moscow has left at least six people dead and 45 others injured.

Four people have been killed and 15 others have been injured in a train collision near Moscow, the Russian interior ministry said.

Opera buffs should be well pleased this week with Ellen Kent’s Opera & Ballet International staging two legendary Verdi productions plus a Puccini from the Chisinau in Moldova.

Lotto winner feared claim call cost

San Marino 0 England 8

Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has been ruled out of England's second World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on Tuesday night.

Manager Roy Hodgson has kept the faith with young and old for the start of England’s World Cup qualifying campaign next month.

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of throwing an incendiary device towards the motorcade of visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, police in Moldova said today.

German chancellor Angela Merkel signalled she is willing to discuss a Greek request for more time to meet the terms of its international rescue, leaving the door open to potential concessions.

AN official round of peace talks will begin in Dublin today between Moldova and its breakaway region, Transdniestria.

A grenade explosion injured 26 people during a Romanian singer’s concert in the Moldovan capital Chisinau, just after the country’s prime minister received two threatening phone calls, officials revealed today.

Moldova’s pro-Western parties said they’ll forge an alliance after winning a narrow lead in parliamentary elections – a stinging setback to Europe’s last communist-run government.

Moldovan riot police have regained control of the president’s office and parliament after they were ransacked by protesters claiming that parliamentary elections were rigged.

Protesters stormed parliament in the eastern state of Moldova today smashing windows and setting fire to furniture in a violent demonstration against what they said were fraudulent elections.

A Romanian plane with 51 people on board made an emergency landing on its belly in western Romania today, officials said. All the occupants escaped safely.

GROUP ONE: The Netherlands stayed on course for World Cup qualification with a 2-0 defeat of Armenia.

The Scottish Football Association have played down speculation they have offered the national managerial vacancy to Walter Smith.

Former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen believes a change is urgently required to lift the current national team – in spirit and world rankings.

Scottish Football Association president John McBeth insists Berti Vogts will not be sacked whatever happens in Moldova.

SCOTLAND have decided against risking the fitness of midfielder Nigel Quashie in Wednesday’s must-win match in Moldova.

FORMER Coventry and Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has assured Berti Vogts he does not want to replace him at the Scotland helm.

A doctor threw sulphuric acid over a female patient who spurned his romantic advances, police said today.