Mick’s kicks so hard to beat

As late equalisers go, it obviously wasn’t quite up there with Ibaraki, that mind-blowing moment in stoppage time against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, when Robbie Keane fastened onto Niall Quinn’s header and crashed the ball via Oliver Kahn and the inside of the post to the back of the net.

“Look at these scenes,” hollered Motty on the Beeb, “just look at these scenes”, as the Irish players and subs piled on top of Keane, the supporters went berserk and, best of all, the cameras tracked Mick McCarthy’s almost slow-motion reaction to the developing drama: from stern expression and arms folded across his chest to open-mouthed anticipation to face-splitting grin and, finally, an eruption into leaping, fist-pumping celebration.