Stephen Kenny set for the toughest game of his Ireland reign

Extracting three, never mind four, points from these pair of matches would indeed constitute an extraordinary feat, starting in Paris tonight.

TOUGHEST TEST: Manager Stephen Kenny during a Republic of Ireland training session at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

If Stephen Kenny branding his Euro playoff task as extraordinarily difficult was greeted with derision, there can be no debating the magnitude of this week’s double-header.

Three years ago, Slovakia and Northern Ireland stood in their way of a spot at the delayed finals. That both ties were contested in empty stadiums due to Covid-19 negated the away disadvantage, attracting further attention on Kenny for speaking as if superpowers were blocking their route. It didn’t come to that, for the Slovaks dumped Ireland out in the semi-final.