Irish fans chiming in on Twitter are full of appreciation for James McClean’s tenacity tonight

Martin O'Neill wanted energy from his players and he got it in abundance from one in particular.

James McClean may not be the most technically gifted footballer on the planet but there's nobody who will give more for the cause than the West Brom winger. As O'Neill shuffled his pack for the Republic of Ireland's crunch Group E game against Italy on Wednesday night, McClean was handed his first start of the tournament. A divisive figure who's always liable to earn a card for a rash challenge, McClean's tenacity is what stood out in a promising Irish first half. And supporters were delighted with his first 45. https://twitter.com/StephenC1711/status/745698138736955393 https://twitter.com/SM_0141/status/745697980989247488 https://twitter.com/FolkieBaggie/status/745697844242354176 https://twitter.com/S_E_A_N__B/status/745697769642397696 https://twitter.com/ryanyoung91/status/745697728110465028 https://twitter.com/t0mm13b/status/745697692001640448 https://twitter.com/ceevz94/status/745697624448204802 https://twitter.com/mroche1972/status/745697614407016448 https://twitter.com/AFCilIian/status/745698832114139137 https://twitter.com/ohallerjam/status/745699069490831364 https://twitter.com/DaraDeBrun/status/745699050478047233