Preston North End duo Alan Browne and Ali McCann have conflicting camps with Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

PNE skipper Alan Browne came of the bench for the Republic of Ireland as they beat Gibraltar 3-0 in Dublin. His 28 minutes were the first since he suffered a knee injury away to QPR on Good Friday.

The win got Stephen Kenny’s men on the board and their first three points of qualifying, becoming the fourth team to beat Gibraltar 3-0 in their four games so far this campaign.

Ireland on the other hand lost narrowly to France in their opening qualifying game and lost 2-1 to Greece on Friday, leaving them with it all to do when it comes to earning their place in Euro 2024.

Up next for Ireland is the small task of World Cup finalists France and Nations League semi finalists Netherlands, in Paris and Dublin. Kenny is remaining upbeat about his side’s chances, however.

He said: “It’s a seven-day window just, it’s a short window. It’s France on a Thursday night in Paris and Holland on a Sunday night here in the Aviva Stadium, so it’s a really, really exciting window.

“They’re two really tough games, there’s no doubt about it, but very exciting games. We’ve just got to make sure we’re well prepared for them. They’re epic games.

“At the same time, nothing is impossible, that’s how we feel about it.

“Obviously we pushed France very close [at home]. I know this is different in Paris, but it will be an interesting game for us and very exciting, the two games.

“We obviously made life difficult for ourselves after Friday night. But Greece are a good team. They have to play Holland twice, we have to play Holland twice, and France in France.

“In my opinion, France will win the group, so we just have to have good September and October windows.

“The return game with Greece will be a different game, and obviously tough games against Holland and France. But we still have every chance and we just have to back ourselves in those windows.”

Things were different for their neighbours, who lost out late on to Kazakhstan. Northern Ireland have just one win to their name in qualifying, that coming against San Marino. They were booed off the pitch at Windsor Park after the 88th minute winner, with many now giving up on any chance of making Euro 2024.

Ali McCann’s night was quite the opposite of Browne’s, instead coming off with 28 minutes to go, with the game still in the balance. McCann has started both games over the international break, losing 1-0 to Denmark on Friday.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill didn’t feel the result reflected the way the game went and was left cursing injury problems amongst the group.

“I don’t think it was merited,” he said. “We were very dominant in the first half, we found it quite difficult to play through a team that was set up to defend deep with 10 players behind the ball.

“We created one or two opportunities…and we gave up one chance which was poor defending on our part. In the second half I think the game looked like it was drifting a bit but I think the substitutes gave us a lift.

“We lost Jonny (Evans, who came off with a shoulder injury) at that point, we had to change the shape and we were a little bit patched up in the back four, and then we lose a goal right at the end, a real sucker-punch.

“I think Kazakhstan were more than happy to settle for a point and they came away with all three and it’s a very disappointing result.

“For us to lose the game in that way is extremely disappointing. We’ve lost three games 1-0, we’ve conceded goals that if you’re going to progress at this level you can’t concede and we’re learning the hard way at the moment that the mistakes we’re making are costing us.

“Fans are entitled to boo. We lost the game 1-0. I don’t read too much into that. Very rarely do you go to a match where the home team lose 1-0 and the fans cheer.

“They were probably frustrated to see us lose the game as we are as staff and players, but hopefully they see a young team which is going to have to take a bit of time to mould that team.

“We need a little more experience and some of our more experienced players back to help a lot of those younger players.”