Just because they’re in bonus territory at the Euro 19 finals doesn’t mean Ireland’s young guns are treating today’s semi-final as a free pass.

Joe Hodge proved the coolest man in scorching Yerevan by striking a sweet equaliser in Ireland’s Euro U19 finals opener against Norway last night.

After waiting eight years for Ireland to reach the U19 Euros, captain Lee O’Connor wants a swift start today against Norway in Yerevan (3.45pm, RTÉ Two).

Ovens native Tyreik Wright is ready for the heat — and the heat of battle — in Yerevan, as Ireland’s U19s begin the final countdown for the European Championship Finals in Armenia, with Tom Mohan’s side set to play their first group game, against Norway, on Monday.

Ireland U19 manager Tom Mohan believes his team can do the nation proud at next month’s Euros, despite losing a glut of players.

It’s the second coming of Mick McCarthy and upon this Rock he will build his church.

Celtic all but secured their place in the second Champions League qualifying round following a commanding 3-0 win against Alashkert in the searing heat of Yerevan.

Record-breaking Poland striker Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Armenia on his way to becoming his country's all-time leading scorer.

Lunacy, he said. That’s a strong word. An emotive word, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Armed men who seized a police station in Armenian capital Yerevan surrendered to the authorities yesterday after a two-week stand-off, the country’s National Security Service said.

It’s taken seven years, but the Republic of Ireland will finally avail of the opportunity to exorcise some of the ghosts from the infamous ‘Hand of Gaul’ game at the Stade de France this day week when they open their Euro 2016 account against Sweden.

In Uefa-speak, today is MD-1, that is to say, eve of match but also, in this case, eve of tournament.

John O’Shea hopes Ireland’s win in Georgia on Sunday can be like the victory over Armenia four years ago — a springboard to launch a successful European Championship qualifying campaign.

Our pick of what’s best on the box tonight.

Armenia 0 Republic of Ireland 2

Kazakhstan 1 Republic of Ireland 2

Liam Mackey reflects on the memorable moments, on and off the pitch, from Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign

“Hello, I am Giovanni Trapattoni.”

WITH all eyes now focused on the European Championship finals next summer, there’s a reminder today that there are further big tests in store for Giovanni Trapattoni and his players come the autumn.

A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey today, collapsing dozens of buildings into piles of twisted steel and chunks of concrete. Desperate survivors dug into the rubble with their bare hands, trying to rescue the trapped and injured.

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has urged his players to keep their composure for tonight's final Euro 2012 qualifier.

AS it was in the beginning is by no means necessarily how it’s going to be in the end.

VARDAN MINASYAN has spoken before about the gulf in experience between his coaching CV and that of Giovanni Trapattoni’s but the Armenian manager gave a display worthy of the wily old Italian at last night’s press conference.

Seamus Coleman has told Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni he is ready to play anywhere as the Euro 2012 campaign draws to a close.

EAMON DUNPHY got quite worked up on the box on Friday night about the fact that Seamus Coleman, a player he felt should have been in Ireland’s starting line-up, hadn’t even made the bench in Andorra.

FROM Andorra to Armenia might be a short step alphabetically but there will be a world of difference in the challenge facing Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow evening, after Friday’s night’s Group B results effectively turned this final qualifying game into a play-off for the play-offs.

Giovanni Trapattoni has told his Republic of Ireland team to put their winning mentality to good use to ensure they do not pass up the chance to reach the Euro 2012 finals.

Armenia 4 Macedonia 1

SLOVAKIA may have dented Irish qualification hopes by claiming a draw in Dublin last Friday but Richard Dunne is using Vladimir Weiss’ side as inspiration ahead of the Republic’s latest crucial showdown, in Moscow, today.

Vladimir Weiss will not rely on his enviable record against Italians as he attempts to guide Slovakia past the Republic of Ireland tomorrow night.

Marco Tardelli has said that he would like to take the reins of the Republic of Ireland team after Giovanni Trapattoni.

AIDEN MCGEADY and Kevin Kilbane are among the players who won’t be featuring in the Republic of Ireland’s Carling Nations Cup opener against Wales at the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday after Giovanni Trapattoni trimmed his squad from 29 to 22 yesterday.

IT was morning after the night before but, frankly, it was hard to tell the difference as a small hours flight from Slovakia had afforded precious little time for slumber before Giovanni Trapattoni was up bright and early again yesterday to review Ireland’s state of play at the end of a rollercoaster first phase of the European Championship campaign.

IN the immediate and deeply gloomy aftermath of the crushing setback of Friday’s loss to Russia, Ireland would happily have settled for a point in this one.

THE Republic of Ireland’s draw against Slovakia meant Giovanni Trapattoni’s side surrendered top spot in Group B after Russia defeated Macedonia 1-0 in Skopje.

Robbie Keane believes Shane Long can surprise the Slovakian defence when he takes Kevin Doyle's place in the Republic of Ireland side in Zilina tonight.

VLADIMIR WEISS is not countenancing tonight’s game ending in a draw.

SO now we know that the cliche in Italian is the same as the cliche in English.

Bullish Slovakia boss Vladimir Weiss expects the Republic of Ireland to come away empty-handed from their most important Euro 2012 qualifier tomorrow.