Ireland are without injured goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Courtney Brosnan cannot be blamed for looking after number one so confidently, but the competence of successive Ireland managers to secure a reliable number two will be tested this month.
Brosnan’s absence from the upcoming Nations League play-off dates against Belgium, where Ireland seek to escape from Europe’s second tier, is no shock after missing four successive Everton games with a knee injury.