Ireland must have ice as well as fire

We always hear plenty of talk about Irish heart and Irish passion.

Martin O’Neill takes those qualities as read when it comes to his team but, ahead of today’s crunch Euro qualifier against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium, a match many expect will be infused with the intensity of a full-blooded derby, he has stressed the vital importance of his players playing with ice as well as fire.

“That’s it, absolutely,” he said at his pre-match press conference. “It is about playing with passion and desire but also trying to play with a cool head. I think all those elements constitute the game and all those elements are part of the make-up of very good players.