“It’s not the winning or the losing, it’s the taking part.” No, we’re not convinced either, but it’s a new day and there’s so much great football to come. Join in by tweeting @TheScore_ie or checking out our Facebook page.
12.33 – Keith Andrews – arguably the only Irish player to emerge from Euro 2012 with any credit* – has offered a brutal assessment of the side’s performance.
“It’s been bitterly disappointing. We said before the tournament we wanted to give a good account of ourselves and there was no point coming for the craic. We said that after we qualified against Estonia.
“To be perfectly frank, we simply weren’t good enough. We didn’t play as well as we could have.
“We played against some fantastic opposition but the bottom line is we weren’t good enough.”
*Apart from Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Keith Fahey, Kevin Foley, James McClean and Wes Hoolahan.
13.38 – It was an emotional farewell to Poznan for our man on tour, Cian O’Callaghan, as he and the Irish fans made the most of the Polish city before Ireland’s clash with Italy.
15.48 – Turning our attention to tonight’s games, it’s going to be Wayne Rooney’s first appearance of the tournament against Ukraine. We’re pretty sure it’s been on the news.
The Manchester United striker will likely be partnered by Danny Welbeck, with Andy Carroll dropping down to the bench. Seems harsh on the Liverpool man, who had a fine game against Sweden, but Rooney was always going to start.
Theo Walcott, meanwhile, is fit to start the game but the feeling among the British press is that Roy Hodgson will keep him back as an impact substitute. Worked last time.
17.01 – In ‘it’s all very well to say it now’ news, Giovanni Trapattoni has denied being too loyal to the players that secured qualification for Euro 2012.
On the subject of retirements, he added: “I can say the names, but I won’t say the names. I am sure they need to stay with their families, I don’t know. But I said two months ago, it is important for us that these senior players help also the young to gain new experience. That’s life, it is not only football.
“The young are usually arrogant or shy and the senior players help them grow. That is life, it is not only football,” he said.
17.12 – Italy have a quarter-final to look forward to against either England or France. The Guardian reports Cesare Prandelli as saying that Mario Balotelli is going to have to curb his enthusiasm…
17.26 – What magical, mystical force was at play here?
Probably alcohol. Lots and lots of booze.
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