STAND-IN DAVID AT READY
ONE Corkman found himself thrown a starting green jersey in the home dressing-room just minutes before kick-off last Saturday. Remarkably, it happened again with another Corkman in exactly the same place last night. Seven days ago it was Peter O’mahony who found out he was playing after Jamie Heaslip hurt himself in the warm-up before Ireland’s 6 Nations clash with England. Last night it was David Meyler who played the role for the national soccer team when James Mccarthy pulled up in the warm-up before the World Cup qualifier against Wales. “I knew James had a knock,” shrugged Meyler, who took his promotion in his stride. “We are all professionals and we have to prepare as if we are going to play, regardless of whether we are in the starting 11. “The warm-up finished and unfortunately for James he wasn’t fit enough to play and the manager just said to me, ‘You’re starting.’ “You’ve got to be ready. We want to go to Russia, we want to qualify for the World Cup, especially after the Euros. “I want to be part of that and so does everybody else. That’s why you have to be ready when you get called upon.” Meyler, who previously played a key role for Ireland in their draw away to Germany in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, showed his versatility by stepping into the middle of the park and was his usual combative self. Naturally Ireland looked a different side when Neil Taylor was sent off for Wales with 20 minutes, plus four minutes of added time, still to play. “I think it was clear and obvious that we did (put pressure on),” said Meyler. “They dropped right off and they made it hard for us. “On another night we would have scored probably two or three but tonight just wasn’t our night in front of goal. Meyler says it’s too early to tell if this was a good point or two dropped in the circumstances, with Wales reduced to 10 men for the final 24 minutes. “I’ll tell you that at the end of the group,” the Hull City man said.