The moments that mattered at the Aviva last night.

Denmark’s players — including Christian Eriksen — were all in agreement that class told in the end as Ireland’s World Cup ambitions came to a crashing halt in the most humiliating circumstances.

Martin O’Neill didn’t want to deal with questions about his future so soon after last night’s World Cup play-off loss, but such is life for a modern manager and he duly offered a word or two on what may happen next.

Right, here we go. Time to give the checklist a final once-over.

Sergio Aguero could line up for Manchester City against Leicester at the weekend after the club eased worries about his health following a dressing-room incident on Argentina duty.

James McClean cried the tears of a nation, crumbling in front of the cameras just as his Republic of Ireland colleagues had collapsed on a night of abject misery at the Aviva Stadium.

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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.”

Age Hareide must have made for a challenging tenant.

Don’t expect a thriller

Italy 0 Sweden 0

Rassie Erasmus jetted home to South Africa last night confident that Munster are in safe hands with his replacement, Johann van Graan.

Sometimes a weather forecast actually turns out to be correct. And sometimes a preview of a game of football really does predict what will eventually happen. 

Average golfers have a saying: ‘It’s not how, it’s how many’.

After delivering a disciplined display in Copenhagen, Ireland’s players are confident that their record of emerging victorious from must-win games can count against Denmark tomorrow night.

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.”

Saturday night in Copenhagen marked my 25th anniversary return to the Parken Stadium and, at one level, it was as if nothing had changed in a quarter of a century.

There is never a good time to write a novel, writes Suzanne Harrington