Mick McCarthy’s sole focus on D-Day

With the decisive battle to come next Monday at the Aviva, there’s no getting away from the phoney war status of Ireland’s friendly against New Zealand at the same venue on Thursday night.

Of course, it will be a significant occasion for debutants and those fringe players who don’t regularly get to don the green shirt but, in terms of its bearing on the decisive Euro 2020 qualifier against Denmark, the impact of Thursday’s game is sure to be strictly limited.