BEFORE A BALL was kicked during World Cup qualifying, Paddy McCarthy raised excitement and expectation levels in equal measure.

The assistant coach declared that the Republic of Ireland were on the cusp of something special and spoke of World Cup qualification as the sole aim.

Troy Parrott’s scrape of his studs on the ball in the 96th minute to complete a glorious hat-trick in that historic win over Hungary was the dramatic final action of the campaign.

McCarthy found vindication – perhaps even a little bit of salvation – in Budapest.

His words had been backed up by the actions of the players in a stunning final week that produced a masterful 2-0 win at home to group winners Portugal followed by that late comeback triumph in the Hungarian capital.

Ireland secured a place in the play-off round next March and, reflecting on the achievement, McCarthy sought to provide some reason for that early confidence.

“Listen, I felt there was something brewing when I first started coaching the squad. I felt that it was a young, inexperienced team and probably just needed to learn how to win games,” McCarthy said.

“That’s a long process for young players. They have to go through a lot of ups and downs, a lot of adversity but I knew there was the nucleus of a really good team there and that we were on the cusp of, or close to doing something special.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be straightforward, the qualifying campaign. There’s a lot of difficult tasks in there.”

McCarthy referenced that 2-1 defeat away to Armenia in just the second game of the campaign as the one that “stands out in everybody’s mind as a really down moment.”

It was a result that flattered Ireland as only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s performance as well as poor finishing from the home side in Yerevan meant it wasn’t an even more embarrassing result.

“But even after that, going into the next round of games I thought the performance away at Portugal gave everybody belief that we could go on and get results,” McCarthy said.

“I think we took that into the last camp and got the two results against Portugal and Hungary. A lot has happened in those three months and those three windows but again, I’ve got a real belief in these young players and they’ve shown the country what they’re capable of.

“I now feel that you guys and everybody else around the country are starting to really believe that these young players can go on and achieve greatness and get us to the World Cup in June.”

Before greatness comes more of the grind, and the preparation work for the play-off semi-final away to Czechia is already underway. Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, assistant head coach John O’Shea, and McCarthy have held Zoom meetings to discuss their plans.

Victory in Prague would set up a home play-off final a few days later against the winner of Denmark versus North Macedonia, and Ireland also know that should they continue to come good on McCarthy’s vision they will face co-hosts Mexico, as well as South Korea and South Africa next summer.

McCarthy believes events in Budapest “will only give them (the players) the belief in what they can achieve”, and added that the emotional reaction around the country was a joyful reminder of the power the team can have on people.

“It was great to feel like you played a big part in that. It was probably the first time I’ve seen the country like that since 2002. Then the Robbie Brady goal [at Euro 2016], I think it was that type of emotion because of the circumstances in which it happened.

“It’s great. Obviously, when Irish football fans are happy with the team, I think we’re the best in the world. It was a great moment and great to see the videos that were getting sent around with people celebrating in pubs and taking their t-shirts off and throwing themselves about and hugging each other. It was really good to see.

“I imagine that’s the biggest moment in Irish football in a number of years and certainly since a lot of these young players started playing. I think it was a great moment for them and it will only give them the belief in what they can achieve.

“We need to be the best version of ourselves when we go in for the March window. Hopefully, the boys are fit, healthy, playing well every week with their clubs and come in with a real confidence that we can go and get two results that will take us to the promised land.”

McCarthy’s day job as one of Oliver Glasner’s assistant coaches at Crystal Palace brought him back to Dublin earlier this week for a comfortable 3-0 win over Shelbourne in the Uefa Conference League.

Their attention swiftly turned to the visit of Manchester City to Selhurst Park tomorrow and a win over Pep Guardiola’s side would see Palace move to within two points of City and further enhance their credentials as top four contenders.

“You don’t feel like you’re working when you’re doing something you love and you’re so passionate about. So, I’ve got a very understanding wife who knows that this is my passion. I feel privileged that I’m working with Ireland as an assistant coach, working with Crystal Palace as an assistant coach. So for me, it’s an unbelievable thing to wake up every morning knowing that I’m going to work with my country and a club that I love.

“I think the overriding feeling of joy after the Hungary game was quickly realising that the job wasn’t done. It was a completely different emotion to the one that I felt after the FA Cup final [last season]. That was job done, sort of joy.

“But straight away after Hungary, when we woke up on Monday morning, your attention quickly turns to who we’ve got next in March and what do we need to do to give ourselves the best chance of getting over that last hurdle. So it’s job not done. Obviously we’ll take the positives out of that game in Hungary but we also have realised that there’s two massive games ahead of us.”