Irish tap into spirit of Messi

ON a night when Ireland won the Carling Nations Cup, Robbie Keane matched Bobby Charlton’s British and Ireland record of 49 international goals and Paul McShane seemed briefly possessed by the spirit of Lionel Messi, perhaps the best news out of this game for Giovanni Trapattoni is that Shay Given is fit and ready for Skopje.

With Scotland not slow to shoot on sight, this was just the kind of workout the keeper needed ahead of the big test in Macedonia next Saturday, having been a virtual bystander in the 5-0 demolition of Northern Ireland. And the Donegal man came through a busy evening with flying colours, the pick of a string of fine saves when he tipped a 30-yard Phil Bardsley rocket onto the crossbar and over.

Once again, there were big empty expanses in the Aviva stands but at least the Tartan Army almost filled the shallow Havelock Square end and, from a rousing Flower Of Scotland onwards, brought out the vocal best in the hardcore local support at the opposite end of the ground, though it was surely more old habit than any grand sense of occasion which had them singing: “We’re going to win the cup.”