MICK MCCARTHY refuses to acknowledge Sunday's draw as anything other than a stumble on a long journey but concedes that the going price of places in the 1998 World Cup finals in France, is now likely to be higher than ever.

With the host country automatically assured of participation, there are only 14 European places on offer at a time when there is a record entry.

The winners of each of the nine qualifying groups are automatically assured of playing in the finals. So, too, is the best of the second placed teams, to be determined on the following basis.

(a) Points won in the matches played against the first, third and fourth placed teams in the groups.

(b) Goals difference in these matches.

(c) Bigger number of goals scored in these matches.

(d) Bigger number of goals scored in away matches.

In Group Eight, it means that if Ireland were to finish in second place and Iceland in the bottom two, Sunday's scoreless draw would be discounted in the process of establishing the best runners up.

A draw will be made among the other eight second placed teams and the four games played on a home and away basis. These play off matches will be staged on Wednesday, October 29th and Saturday, November 15th, 1997.