Port Vale’s Ryan McGivern sets sights on Euro 2016

“We’ve had a little bit of luck, but you deserve that after all the years of grafting”.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland ensured they will make their first-ever appearance at the European championships next June after easing past Euro 2004 winners Greece 3-1.

“Uefa have agreed to host a minute’s silence ahead of the Uefa 2016 European Championship qualifying game between Poland and Republic of Ireland in Stadion Narodowy on Sunday night”, a statement from the FAI said.

Ireland’s win on Thursday night against Germany means that the Republic are riding to Warsaw on the crest of a wave.

Well, Shane Long can expect to be bought drinks for years to come after that victor against the Germans and rightly so because that goal gave Ireland one of the greatest wins in the entire history of our national team.

Two goals from skipper Steven Davis and one from John Magennis sealed the victory and left coach Michael O’Neill’s men unbeaten after nine matches at the top of Group F. Their final game is against Finland in Helsinki Sunday.

The former Shamrock Rovers boss inherited a side going nowhere fast in 2012 and a fifth-placed finish in qualification for the 2014 World Cup was an inauspicious start to his tenure.

While Lansdowne Road was awash with permutations pre-match, the maths are simple now for Ireland on Sunday after Poland’s 2-2 draw against Scotland in Glasgow on Thursday ended the Scots’ hopes of qualifying.

He said: “Robert Lewandowski is developing all the time, he makes progress continuously and I do not think there is anyone that could stop him”.

Disappointed Germany manager Joachim Low said: “If you ask me for lessons to be learnt, well let me say that despite creating loads of chances, we just wasted too many of them because that final through-ball didn’t reach the guy from our own team”.

“If we win that, we’re at the Euros, so that’s our main goal”.

“It’s going to be another tough game, with a quick turnaround, but we’ll go there with confidence and hopefully put in another good performance”.

“Hopefully, I can get back playing games and force my way into his head”.