Trap delight as his message starts to sink in

IT wasn’t exactly the most exhilarating evening at the Aviva but Giovanni Trapattoni was still in an exalted mood.

After all, the 0-0 draw with Croatia ensured Ireland have now gone five games without defeat and five games without conceding a goal. For a manager so obsessed with such details, that was plenty to be pleased with.

“I am optimistic [after the game]. I am happy with our discipline, our mentality, our balance. Because, we also had a few missing players.”