There were no attempts by the Irish camp to downplay the significance of Thursday’s World Cup playoff, with assistant manager John O’Shea declaring ‘cup final’ territory. Ireland are within two cup finals of a first World Cup qualification since 2002 and a first major tournament in a decade. They will likely have to overcome two nations above them in Fifa’s rankings, starting on Thursday with Czechia in their backyard in Prague. “Our first training session today was almost reminding me of that cup final scenario, where everyone is wanting to get in the team. “There’s a quiet confidence, the group is growing together and it’s great to see.

Source: Irish Examiner March 23, 2026 17:26 UTC