Moment of truth for Martin O’Neill’s Ireland

And so we arrive at a point of definition in Euro 2016: a knockout game before the knockout stage, a cup final to gain access to another cup final.

Or, at least, such is the Irish perspective going into tonight’s final Group E game against Italy here in Lille. The dangerous assumption from the same perspective about the opposition is that this game being, in stark contrast, an occasion of little consequence to them, their attitude and performance will suffer accordingly.

But even if Antonio Conte’s side is effectively Italy B, that still means Ireland will be up against some of the, let’s say, top 30 footballers that country has to offer.