Global game needs a local connection

We’ve all at one time or another listened to stories told by the older generations about how things were in their day.

The teenage response is usually to roll your eyes to the heavens but the reaction tends to morph into one of genuine curiosity, respect and sometimes outright astonishment as the years go by.

On Wednesday night, more than 35,000 people congregated at the Aviva Stadium from all corners of the island for Ireland’s meeting with Serbia, some of them starting out first thing that morning and returning to their homes along the Atlantic seaboard well into the wee hours of Thursday morning with work or school but a catnap away.