Old faults return to haunt Ireland

YOU won’t hear too much talk about a record six-in-a-row clean sheets after this European Championship body blow at the Aviva.

The highlights reel will certainly show that Ireland had the two best chances of the game — headers from only yards out directed wide of goal by first Robbie Keane and, right at the death, Richard Dunne — but if the home side had managed to grab three points here it would have been a major steal, if not quite the crime of the century.

The truth is that Giovanni Trapattoni’s team were made to look second rate for much of this game by a Slovakian side who celebrated their draw but would not have been at all flattered by a win.