Duffy’s the only real winner

WITH Ireland’s finest safely tucked away in readiness for the World Cup, the auxiliary forces finally called a halt to an exhausting season at the Estadio De Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

For some, the efforts of the last two weeks will bear fruit when Eddie O’Sullivan announces the World Cup squad on the week commencing August 12. However, there will also be casualties — especially in the wake of Saturday’s poor performance.

While O’Sullivan will be disappointed, even annoyed to have lost a series 2-0 in the demanding environment that one faces in this country, at least the journey will have helped him to make up his mind on the final composition of the squad. One suspects that a number of the younger charges will have to wait four more years to live their World Cup dream.