'Not going to stop until they get there' - World Cup co-hosts friendly increasing Irish hunger to qualify

This could have been a camp that extended far beyond Friday’s meeting with Canada — down to Mexico and onwards. Being here has made him already hungry to ensure Ireland’s major tournament absence isn’t extended much longer.

NEXT TIME: Mason Melia believes their training camp and friendly against co-hosts Canada will drive them on to reach the World Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Mason Melia has been an Ireland international for just a couple of minutes. It was enough. He did French in school and “couldn't tell you a word of it” yet he knows, again, enough.

Enough to find himself sitting in a hotel room in Montreal watching every advertisement on the TV about a World Cup which is now just eight days away and lamenting.