Forde: It’s been a long journey from Galway

DAVID FORDE, who makes his full debut for Ireland tonight, got a little advance notice yesterday of what it might be like to be a ‘keeper caught in the headlights of Italy ‘s attack.

There we were, huddled around him near an exit in the corner of the Maurice Dufrasne stadium, when suddenly the Italian team bus, bringing the Azzurri to the ground for training, approached us at a good clip — and showed no sign of stopping.

Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, our little huddle parted to make way and then reformed and resumed our conversation as the bus pulled up beside us, with Andrea Pirlo looking down on Forde’s head from his window seat.