Manager buoyed by young bloods

So long, 2012. It’s been emotional.

After a dozen games, 34 goals – 20 of them conceded — and a first major tournament in ten years, Ireland closed their doors for the calendar year with a fifth loss. It will be three months before the shutters are raised and trading begins again.

There were slivers of positivity to be mined from this latest Ireland shift. For the first 20 minutes, they kept the ball on the floor and dictated the tempo and direction of the game and they enjoyed large spells of dominance after the break, too.