Time for Ireland to celebrate doing it the hard way

Wales 0 Republic of Ireland 1: This Irish team may rarely if ever command games but they certainly provide magic moments. And sometimes, as on this incredible night in Cardiff, they’re special enough to far outlast the 90.

Just short of the hour mark, James McClean buried a shot into the corner of the Welsh net to finish off one of the few moves of real class which Ireland had managed all night. But it was enough to transform everything, crushing Welsh dreams of a first World Cup finals appearance in 60 years while putting Martin O’Neill’s team into next Tuesday’s play-offs draw in Zurich.

You often hear people complaining that Ireland always have to do it the hard way. Maybe it’s time we began celebrating the fact. Sure, it would be nice to imagine an Irish football team cruising its way through qualification but, as England habitually show, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything when the chips are down.