Roy Keane reflects on the agony and ecstasy of narrowing down Ireland squad

Another scorching day in Cork and, after watching training at Ireland’s Fota Island Resort base, a smiling Roy Keane presents a suitably sunny demeanour when he comes in to talk.

Sunny but up for serious talk too, as befitting the morning after a night before which had seen Belarus spoil the farewell party at Turner’s Cross with a number of distinctly underwhelming performance by players in the home side. Then after the final whistle, a prime example of what Keane calls “the cruelty of sport” as Martin O’Neill had to break the news to four players present that they wouldn’t be going to France.

“It’s about peaking at the right time now,” believes Keane.