When it opened up for Wes Hoolahan in the 84th minute I thought this was the moment for Ireland. The team's most creative player, left on the bench by Martin O'Neill, was going to come on and show the manager he should have started. He just had Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu to beat, and loads of time at his disposal. Maybe too much time, because he seemed to take just too long to take the shot. Sometimes, in the case of Michael Thomas at Anfield in 1989 for example, it all works out, but this time his effort was a bit tame, and the keeper grabbed the ball as it rebounded off him. What a miss. What a chance. And of all the players too. The guy whose craft was missing from what was a...
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