SOME RUN A MEYL TO SWERVE A SPOTKICK

PRACTICE makes perfect but Martin O’neill will hope that yesterday’s training ground penalties are not a sign of things to come.

With the prospect of a long night in store at Aviva Stadium, the Boys in Green have been honing their skills from 12-yards.

But David Meyler (above) – the likely captain who returns from suspension – was among those to fluff their lines yesterday.

O’neill ribbed him at the pre-match press conference but then hailed the bottle of those who put their hands up to take one if required.

It was a rare miss for Meyler who has been taking penalties for Hull City this season.

O’neill said: “Taking penalties in practice is totally different to taking them in the game. It’s on the evening.

“Generally those lads who volunteer in practice, don’t take them in matches. Remember that great 1984 European Cup final, Liverpool and Roma.

“A couple of great Brazilian players downed tools but we have people like Meyler who want to take them and that’s half the battle.”

But the only scoreline tonight that can send the play-off decider all the way to a shootout is 0-0.

O’neill added: “You try to cover all eventualities but it only needs a second to score a goal. The minute a goal is scored, it eradicates a lot of things.

“It eradicates extra time and penalty kicks, so we’ll want to try to score a goal.

“We may need a couple of goals because keeping out Denmark for two games will be tough.”