This is where we find ourselves. Middlin. Not a new normal, just our normal. Same as it ever was. Not much changed on Saturday night in Lisbon.
Before this qualifying campaign kicked off, the positivity flowing from the Ireland camp was such that folk were offering up prayers in Knock that Cristiano Ronaldo might get the chance to join us at the World Cup via the playoffs.
With the clarity of hindsight it might be easy now to scoff at that confidence, but before Ireland’s games against Hungary and Armenia there was a genuine optimism that second place in the group was manag
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