FAI confirm date for Oman clash

September, then, is set to be a month of firsts for Ireland: a first 2014 World Cup qualifier, a first trip to Kazakhstan and first ever meeting with Oman.

The match with the Middle Eastern side, which will take place at Craven Cottage on September 11, was finally confirmed by the FAI yesterday.

Given the long journey to Kazakhstan comes four days before it, though, the key question then is what is to be gained by such an unfamiliar fixture beyond simply fulfilling a date? Well, for one, Oman are not a side to be sniffed at. They are exactly the kind of durable test that managers generally seek in such games.