How the Irish fared: Paul ‘van Shane’ earns Jaap Stam's acclaim

It’s not every day that Paul McShane is compared to Marco van Basten but the Irishman was on Saturday after his volley gave Reading a 1-0 Championship win at Rotherham.

Just four minutes remained when McShane, a defender better known for his wholehearted approach than his silky skill, displayed a deft touch before volleying into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

McShane’s manager, former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam, compared his captain’s effort to Van Basten’s iconic strike for the Netherlands against the USSR in the 1988 European Championship final.