Irish lack of invention proves why we must fear Wexit day

At a stretch, you could call these the best of times and the worst of times for the boys in green.

The worst hardly needs spelling out: the dreadful leg break suffered by Seamus Coleman which will sideline the Donegal man for many months to come, posing him the toughest challenge of his professional life and robbing his club and country of a truly inspirational player.

For some considerable time, but not too long we can only hope, Coleman’s injury will remain the dominant, depressing legacy of the Irish team’s March 2017. Nor was there a whole heap of consolation to be found in their performances in the two games played during the month, with 180 minutes of mostly mind-numbing football at the Aviva producing no goals and only two shots on target — this on the part of the side supposedly boasting home advantage.