England dominated from start to finish as they took a 24-12 victory over Ireland. Influential fly-half Johnny Sexton struggled to get into the game as England's defence barely gave him room to breathe.

Sportsmail's Martin Keown offers his assessment of Tuesday's two early games at Euro 2016 as Northern Ireland look to secure progress to the last 16 and Poland try to beat Germany to top spot.

SECRET SCOUT: Sportsmail’s football expert has been busy scrutinising the Euros for prospective Premier League bargains this summer. 

The underwhelming group-stages are over and Euro 2016's knockout round is underway. Here, Sportsmail columnist MARTIN KEOWN gives his verdict on Saturday's last-16 games.

Portsmouth striker Ronan Curtis has been drafted into the Republic of Ireland squad for Tuesday night's friendly in Poland. The 22-year-old has been added to a depleted party for the game in Wroclaw.

CRAIG HOPE IN WROCLAW: Poland manage to salvage a draw in their friendly with the Republic of Ireland after Mateusz Klich cancelled out Aiden O'Brien's debut goal on Tuesday evening.

CRAIG HOPE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: It is just as well Mick McCarthy said that he would not mind a 'scrappy win' against Gibraltar, but this was ugly even by Ireland's unsightly standards.

The talented Ireland Under 21 international has decided that education must come first before embarking on his career as a full-time professional footballer.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has now played three times for the Three Lions and has again been called up for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo.

Roy Keane has launched a withering attack on a string of Republic of Ireland internationals, questioning the ability of players who previously questioned him.

The West Ham United midfielder chose to represent England in February, having made three friendly appearances for the Republic of Ireland beforehand.

CRAIG HOPE: For a country who have long since struggled for goalscorers, to unearth three news ones made this friendly entirely worthwhile for Mick McCarthy's men.

McCarthy laughed at mention of Connolly's name as a ocal journalist asked if the striker would be starting at the Dinamo Stadium on Saturday. 'Well I'm not going to tell you the team,' he returned.

CRAIG HOPE IN TBILISI: Ireland were compared to Lord of the Dance's Michael Flatley by Georgia's coach on the eve of the game. That, though, was certainly not a reference to fine footwork.

Burnley midfielder Robbie Brady and Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark have been included in the finalised squad for the Republic of Ireland's clashes with New Zealand and Denmark.

CRAIG HOPE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: In setting up the goal that completed Ireland's comeback, Troy Parrott gave Mick McCarthy something to think about ahead of facing Denmark.

The Republic of Ireland fell to third in Group D in Euro 2020 qualifying after tonight's fixtures and now know they must beat Denmark in Dublin on Monday night to make the finals next summer.

Robbie Keane has challenged his Republic of Ireland. players to make themselves heroes as they look to seal Euro 2020 qualification with victory against Denmark on Monday night.

CRAIG HOPE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Ireland headed for March's play-offs in their bid to avoid the ignominy of missing out on a tournament for which they are one of 12 hosts.

Mick McCarthy is hoping that the four-month break before Ireland's Euro 2020 playoff could see the likes of Troy Parrott and Aaron Connolly return with more Premier League experience.

England and Ireland are set to stage a joint bid in hope of securing the hosting of the 2030 football World Cup, and are reported to be confident of pulling it off.

Adam Idah may have put himself on the fast-track to the Ireland squad after his FA Cup heroics for Norwich. Cork-born teenager striker Idah scored a hat-trick against Preston in the third round.

Mick McCarthy's future as Republic of Ireland manager is uncertain amid the impact of coronavirus on the fixture calendar. The 61-year-old's contract runs until the end of the Euro 2020 campaign.

Terrified Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has been made to go into full isolation after his close neighbours tested positive for coronavirus.

Mick McCarthy says he is 'hugely disappointed' after being replaced by Stephen Kenny as Republic of Ireland manager with the delay to Euro 2020 having brought forward the bizarre succession plan.

The country's record goalscorer - who has two years to run on his £220,000-a-year contract - had assumed he would be part of Kenny's coaching staff having served under Mick McCarthy.

Robbie Keane, who is also Jonathan Woodgate's assistant at Middlesbrough, is furious he has been left in the cold despite having two years to run on his £220,000-per-year Ireland contract.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY IAN LADYMAN: There was a time when Mick McCarthy thought football was straightforward -but it didn't last very long into his career.

The former Republic of Ireland international, who became a famous football pundit in Spain, revealed he had metastatic cancer in December 2018 but has now tragically lost his battle.

Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 qualifying hopes survived a scare as substitutes Conor Washington and Josh Magennis scored twice in four minutes to snatch a 2-1 win in Estonia.

After Saturday's dramatic come-from-behind win over Estonia in Tallinn, victory for the Green and White would put them on 12 points from four games.

There is no place for Lafferty, nor his former Rangers team-mate Gareth McAuley, who is without a club after be released at the end of the season.

Ilkay Gundogan has pulled out of the Germany squad to face Northern Ireland in Belfast on Monday night through illness. The Manchester City midfielder is suffering from a cold.

Norwich full-back Jamal Lewis has been included in the Northern Ireland squad for the their games against Netherlands and Crech Republic despite suffering an elbow injury.

The partnership will see the BT logo appear on the training kits worn by the men's, women's, youth and disability teams of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from November.

Paddy McNair is hoping Holland underestimate Northern Ireland in their Euro 2020 qualifier in Rotterdam. Northern Ireland need to win in order to keep their dreams of reaching the finals alive.

With Holland due in Belfast next month, both teams are viewing the double-header as a head-to-head battle for a ticket to Euro 2020, and Koeman is wary of the threat posed by Michael O'Neill's side.

Both teams are talking up this match and the return fixture in Belfast next month as effectively being a play-off for a place in next summer's finals. Holland have missed tournaments in a row.

October 13, 1976. Best's career was on the wane. He had turned 30 that summer and come back from his first stint in the US with Los Angeles Aztecs.

Holland left it late to turn the game around against Northern Ireland and run out winners in Rotterdam. Wales secured a well earned point in Slovakia while Scotland crashed to a heavy defeat in Russia.

CHRIS WHEELER AT DE KUIP STADIUM: Holland and Northern Ireland battled in a close game in their Euro 2020 Group C qualifying match on Thursday night. 

The two teams took part in a minute's applause to honour the memory of the Rangers legend who passed away last month following a six-year battle with motor neurone disease.

Michael O'Neill's men still have a very slim chance of qualifying automatically but must beat Holland on Saturday evening. Join KIERAN JACKSON for full commentary of the Group C clash.

CHRIS WHEELER AT WINDSOR PARK: A goalless draw was enough to send Holland through to Euro 2020 and render Northern Ireland's final Group C game against Germany meaningless.

After a career in top-level football spanning nearly three decades, Ryan Giggs will finally fulfil his dream of competing at a major tournament with Wales.

CHRIS WHEELER IN FRANKFURT: A hat-trick from former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry sank Northern Ireland as their Group C campaign ended with a heavy defeat in Frankfurt.

A mutual decision was made for O'Neill to leave his position due to proposed revised international match scheduling by UEFA in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Michael O'Neill has turned his back on a £500,000 Euro 2020 bonus after stepping down as Northern Ireland manager on Wednesday.

More than 300 schools were shut for safety reasons today with forecasters warning up to four inches could fall over parts of northern England, Scotland Northern Ireland this week.

RUGBY WORLD CUP DIARY: The squad got together to watch the film which says: 'You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it.'