A scare on road to Euro 2016

Given that he found himself featuring in yet another non-football story to hog the headlines in Ireland, Martin O’Neill was asked yesterday if, since becoming national manager, he has ever felt like he’s ended up in a soap opera.

The Derryman looked down, unsuccessfully sought to stifle a laugh and, almost in a whisper, observed: “It’s all a bit of fun.”

Of course, it felt like anything but on the M50 at tea-time on Tuesday when Roy Keane’s Range Rover, with the entire coaching staff on board, was given a violent jolt from behind.