A rap with the cap

ON the day of the draw for the World Cup play-off, a few of us found ourselves in the company of a brace of Irish football heroes of yesteryear.

Kevin Moran and Packie Bonner differed slightly in their assessment of the French threat — Kevin thought it the worst possible draw, Packie was somewhat more philosophical — but both agreed that, under Giovanni Trapattoni, a well-organised Irish side had a fighting chance of upsetting the odds. But only, they emphasised in unison, if the players can totally eliminate the kind of catastrophic lapse in concentration which saw the team squander a winning position against Italy at the death in Dublin.

“To lose a 2-1 lead with three minutes to go was unforgivable,” said Moran. “It wouldn’t have happened with Kevin and Mick,” Bonner smiled, pointing out that Moran and McCarthy wouldn’t have been behind the Italian goal celebrating in the first place. Instead, he said, the ministers of defence would have been immediately roaring, shouting and “belting people” to get back into position for the restart.