Northern Ireland just will not stop. Under the driven, intelligent management of Michael O’Neill, these often unheralded and under-rated Irish players are on course to follow up last summer’s appearance at the European Championships with a World Cup play-off spot in a group dominated by Germany.
When for so long this Irish story was one of repeated green disappointment, some of it under O’Neill, now it is all about achievement. Quite remarkably given the resources available, Northern Ireland have not lost a competitive game in Belfast for three and a half years. Goals from Jamie Ward of Nottingham Forest and Conor Washington of QPR mean that, having slipped below the Czech Republic before kick-off — due to the Czechs’ 6-0 victory over San Marino —