O’Neill confident Ireland’s prospects are bright

Martin O'Neill will head into 2017 confident that the Republic of Ireland's dreams are safe in the hands of a new generation of national heroes. Ireland end the current year sitting proudly at the top of World Cup qualification Group D ahead of Serbia and Wales and having enhanced their reputation with a more than creditable showing at the Euro 2016 finals, where they emerged from the group stage courtesy of a famous victory over Italy. They will face an almighty battle to hang on to their lead in the new year and secure a trip to Russia during the summer of 2018, but manager O'Neill is confident that, as well as their famed resilience, there is more substance to his team with the likes of Seamus Coleman, Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick having taken up the baton from Shay Given, John O'Shea and Robbie Keane. He told FAI TV: "Do you know, it really doesn't bother me what people will say about the side. "I do believe that we do have resilience in the team – I think the number of goals that we have scored late on in matches in the last couple of years kind of proves it, that we keep going to the end. "We lack certain things – it would be common knowledge to say a natural goalscorer...

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