"Support works" was one of the messages Irish team sponsor 3 flashed on billboards at the Aviva on Wednesday night as the team beat Poland.

3 has played its part in supporting the Irish team since taking over the sponsorship, and the 30,000-plus Polish fans in the stadium did their best to encourage the away side.

The FAI might have been clever in arranging a game against a team with a strong immigrant population, but it also highlighted the association's failure to sell the match to Irish fans. An own goal if ever there was one.