Colin Sheridan: We can only hope there is life for Ireland after existential dread

The Republic of Ireland, by not scoring and looking rather graceful doing it, had just achieved the most palatable of moral victories

Wales manager Ryan Giggs greets Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny following the UEFA Nations League B match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

I spoke to a man last week, a much wiser one than I. Enquiring after his well-being in the context of current events, he replied, “Pascal said all men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quiet in a room alone. Now, I’d be sorry to disappoint old Paschal, but this, I have mastered”.

I’d be lying if I told you all my passing conversations follow this intellectual trend. One Google search later and I had enlightened myself that the Pascal in question was not in fact the new centre-half at Tottenham, but the 17th century French physicist and philosopher.