The job was already done but Northern Ireland ended a magnificent qualifying campaign with one final feat by winning their group courtesy of a point in Finland. Uefa expanded the European Championship to help its smaller members yet Michael O’Neill’s accomplished team needed no assistance to reach France. There was a late setback in Helsinki as Paulus Arajuuri’s 87th-minute equaliser denied Northern Ireland a seventh win in 10 matches but that was a fleeting disappointment. Craig Cathcart’s first half header reflected a professional response after the euphoria of sealing qualification against Greece on Thursday and keeping second-place Romania at bay was ultimately all that mattered. Continue reading...
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