End of the road for Carling Nations Cup as North pull out

THE Carling Nations Cup looks to be definitively dead, with FAI sources indicating they have no will to push for a second staging of the competition.

The news comes after yesterday’s quotes from IFA president Jim Shaw, effectively confirming Northern Ireland’s withdrawal – and, by extension, the tournament’s end.

But, while the main reason for calling off the competition is its poor performance in terms of attendance and interest, it is understood there is a significant degree of annoyance towards the Scottish FA from the three other bodies that has affected working relationships.