McCarthy eyes perfect end to week to remember

Monday was James McCarthy’s summer in microcosm — a day of rumour, raised hopes, expectations apparently dashed and then, at almost literally the eleventh hour, confirmation that, finally, he was back in the top flight.

A long day, but then it had been a long few months too, during which speculation about the player’s future had run riot across the back pages on an almost daily basis.

“All summer, to be honest, there was paper talk and it got a bit frustrating at times, seeing your name linked with various clubs,” said McCarthy after Irish training in Malahide yesterday.