Trap’s new Ireland make their point

Mission accomplished.

Many looking on through green-tinted glasses in Stockholm would have settled for that before the start so it’s a measure of how unexpectedly invigorating this Irish performance was that, by the end, visiting supporters and players alike were entitled to feel regretful at the thought that it could, perhaps should, have been even better.

Because the kids were all right last night. In fact, they were more than all right, Trapattoni’s tyros coming of age in the Friends Arena in this absorbing scoreless draw. Swedish coach Erik Hamren had warned his charges beforehand that Ireland would be different to anything else they would encounter in the group. What he could hardly have envisaged, however, was how different the visitors would be to how Ireland themselves have previously played in the group.