Trap aiming for the top

A DECLARATION of intent on the pitch tonight to match the one delivered by Giovanni Trapattoni at his press conference yesterday would be nice.

Temporarily casting aside what he said was a career-long habit of diplomacy, the Italian declared: “In my heart I think we can finish first in this group.”

Irish football supporters will be forgiven if they choose to delay judgment on that prospect at least until after this afternoon’s European Championship curtain-raiser against Armenia.