Given: Lazarus is back

It’s getting really close now, the hairs are starting to stand up on the back of my neck

Shay Given and the ball in the back of the net – not an image which would normally gladden the heart.

But yesterday at Ireland’s training ground in Montecatini was different, as the Donegal man belted a couple of right-footed shots past Keiren Westwood. And there was further confirmation that his troublesome right knee has apparently come good when he resumed his customary place between the posts, twisting, turning, leaping and diving with apparent ease.