Lawrence lifts the gloom

IT’S a pretty safe bet that, as far as Ireland’s World Cup ambitions are concerned, Giovanni Trapattoni will learn more from tonight’s international in Turin than last night’s in Thomond Park.

As seems to be the norm for the energetic 70-year-old, the Italian will be up at the crack of dawn in Limerick this morning to address the press at what, at least for the latter, is the singularly ungodly hour of 7am – all in order that the Irish manager can high-tail it to Dublin to catch the only flight available that will get him to Turin in time to attend tonight’s crucial Group 8 game between Italy and Bulgaria.

Trapattoni knows what he wants out of that game to put the maximum wind into Ireland’s qualification ambitions – preferably a draw and, failing that, a victory for Bulgaria. Either result would leave Ireland with the chance to leapfrog the Italians at the top of the table when the two sides meet in Croke Park next month. A win for the Azzurri tonight, however, and they will extend their advantage to four points before the game in Dublin, a scenario which would take a huge amount of pressure off the visitors.