Spirit of Brian Cody helped spark Ireland revival

What’s cool for Cats is what finally put fire in Irish bellies on Monday night, according to Martin O’Neill.

As determined and urgent in the second-half against Georgia as they had been lethargic and nervy in the first, Ireland finally got what they deserved for a much improved performance when Jon Walters profited from a dazzling intervention by Jeff Hendrick to claim the game’s only goal and, with it, a four-point lead over Scotland in the battle for a European Championship play-off place.

Asked to pinpoint what precisely had triggered the change in Irish fortunes at half-time, O’Neill — who had attended the All-Ireland hurling final with Roy Keane the previous day — offered an unexpected response.