Fear factor emerges again as McCarthy’s Ireland fluff lines

At least the phoney war is over, the fable of Mick McCarthy clothed in Merlin the Magician garb belatedly binned. There’s no need to whisper it anymore. Ireland are not a better team than Denmark or Switzerland, even if many nations of similar size and profile are.

Ireland’s James McClean with Nico Elvedi of Switzerland. Photo: INPHO/Tommy Dickson