MOOD MUSIC IS SO UPBEAT

IT'S impossible to get away from the feeling within the Irish camp this week that optimism and confidence is as high as it has been in a long time.

- BY MARK McCADDEN

Heimir Hallgrimsson was asked about that confidence and how he has seen this team develop in the year that he has been in charge.

And he pointed to the posture of the players, who appear to be walking taller now than they were 12 months ago, as an indicator of the feeling among the squad.