So Faroe so good

ROY KEANE tends to ration his public utterances these days, so there was a little collective shiver of anticipation among the press when it was announced he would be joining Brian Kerr for the eve of match press conference.

And the wait was worth it. Much like his football in recent times, Keane’s words are measured, controlled, waste-free but still capable of packing some power. When Roy speaks, everyone listens. Hard-earned wisdom means that if his comments don’t quite carry the clout of papal infallibility, then they certainly keep the bull to a minimum. And sometimes, the devil is in the details.

Take his response to a question about the game in Paris, and how this draw compared to Irish draws in the past which had virtually been hailed as victories.