Preview: Hungary can provide perfect test for O'Shea and Ireland

Despite his best intentions, there is every chance that John O'Shea may not be able to get the best out of this Ireland squad as they face Hungary at the Aviva Stadium tonight.

O’Shea and his coaching staff, no doubt, have been fully focused on getting the team ready for the first of two games in this summer window, however, recent history dictates that Ireland struggle at this time of year.

Two years ago, Ireland could not get going in the heat of Yerevan, resulting in a shock defeat to Armenia, while last year’s attempts to right that particular wrong also went awry in Athens.

With a large contingent of the squad idle for over a month before the trip to Greece to face Gus Poyet’s side in the Euro 2024 qualifier, two separate training camps were arranged to get the players in shape.

The first one, for the Championship players, which was held in Bristol, before the entire squad jetted off to Turkey for a nine-day warm-weather training camp to prepare for the Greek game.

As it happened, the temperature in Athens was not the expected early summer heat, and the performance proved equally tepid as Stephen Kenny’s side failed to fire in a game that proved to be the beginning of the end of the squad’s chances of qualifying for this summer’s tournament.

As a result, Ireland find themselves aiding the preparations of two teams that have qualified, as Hungary, and Portugal next week, will hope for a competitive game against O’Shea’s side.

The Ireland squad met up last Thursday in Dublin and again, many have long since finished their 2023-24 season at club level.

Others were in action for a bit longer with play-off campaigns and cup finals, while Troy Parrott only arrived into camp having played his final game for Dutch side Excelsior on