"How many goals has Quinny, then?" asked Mick McCarthy at a stage when his press conference at Lansdowne road yesterday morning was beginning to run out of talking points.

Somebody was careless or mischievous enough to enquire if he meant Sunderland goals but in fact, McCarthy was merely introducing the lead statement.

"Tell you something, Frank Stapleton's Ireland record of 20 goals has been hanging around for a while and I figure Niall will be looking to that," he said.

"Niall's a far better player now than he's ever been - fitter and more mobile and better at the things he's good at, like winning the ball in the air or holding it up.

"There was a time when I though we'd seen the last of him as an international. But the way he's been playing since coming back from injury suggests to me that he can go on for a few years yet... long enough to get that record."

On Quinn's influence on the squad, McCarthy tends to be euphoric. "He's a smashing lad to have around and particularly now, when there are so many younger players in the team."

"I think he'll be great for Robbie Keane tomorrow. Robbie is one of those lucky young lads who doesn't seem to be fazed by anything or anybody. But I still think, he's lucky to have Quinny alongside him."

Nor is Stapleton's goals tally the only record under threat from the current squad. McCarthy believes that Paul McGrath's total of 83 international appearances will also be surpassed. And Steve Staunton, he reckons, is the man to take it.

"As international players go, he's still only in the middle stages of his career and given what he has already achieved, there's no doubting that he can go on and become the first Ireland player to play 100 times for his country.