Pot luck: Seeding setback to our World Cup hopes after Bulgaria stalemate

The bald facts of the recent slump is that Ireland failed to overcome sides around, or below, their standard

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny during the UEFA Nations League B match against Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Brace yourselves because the worst World Cup draw of modern history could beckon for Ireland.

Tonight’s latest blank confirmed Ireland’s positioning among the cohort of third seeds for the draw in Zurich on December 7. That’s the draw from which only the top team is guaranteed to qualify for the greatest show on earth in late 2022.