Duff: it’s all eyes on Cyprus

AND so the week begins as it’s sure to go on, with Irish footballers being asked as many questions about a World Cup game against Cyprus which took place three years ago as about the World Cup game against Cyprus that’s coming up in just five days’ time.

But then, as if anyone needs reminding, Nicosia in September of 2006 was no ordinary away game, Ireland’s humiliating 5-2 defeat holing Steve Staunton’s reign below the waterline and casting a shadow which won’t fully be rolled back until an Irish team returns from the Cypriot capital with three well-deserved points.

Damien Duff was one of those who was in the spotlight during Irish football’s darkest hour and a half – “a shocking result and we got slaughtered, rightly,” is how he nutshells it – but, even now, he struggles to put his finger on how and why things went so catastrophically wrong .