‘We are capable, but talk is cheap’

WITH two games left and no wriggle room remaining, the time to stand up and be counted has arrived for the Republic of Ireland, as Kenny Cunningham acknowledged on the eve of this evening’s match against Cyprus.

"We've put ourselves in a difficult position," the Irish captain admitted yesterday. "We are playing catch up, but it's still there for us. We need six points from two games. We are capable of it, but talk is cheap. We will have to go out and prove it.

"We have given it our best so far, although the quality of our football at times has been below what we would expect of ourselves. That's frustrated the players and that's what drives us on because we know we are capable of showing a little bit more than we have so far.