Paddy Power offers €25K for white collar bout between O’Neill and O’Donoghue

Martin O’Neill hasn’t just renewed his contract as Ireland manager this week – he’s renewed his war of words with RTE correspondent Tony O’Donoghue.

After an exchange more fraught than Stoke City’s approach for O’Neill’s services immediately following the Denmark play-off defeat in November, the pair were reunited yesterday – with the Boys In Green boss accusing the journalist of a ‘real verbal attack’.

And Paddy Power has challenged the feuding pair to put their money where their mouth is, by offering up a €25,000 charity donation if they meet in a white collar boxing match to settle their differences.

Martin O’Neill gives his reaction to the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League draw and addresses recent speculation about his future #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/cLC1SiDARB

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) January 24, 2018

Asked about the possible match-up spokesman Paddy Power said: “This war of words isn’t going away any time soon, but we’re challenging the pair to settle this once and for all.

“Given his steely demeanour, we make O’Neill the favourite, and think it’ll be a case of ‘hard luck’ for O’Donoghue – though the Ireland boss isn’t always great in a play-off scenario.”

WHO’D WIN A BOXING MATCH?

1/4          Martin O’Neill
5/2         Tony O’Donoghue