The producer of the upcoming film Saipan was told he was “mad” to work on a movie about the row between Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane at the 2002 World Cup, and that he was “just going to open old wounds”.

Saipan tells the story of the infamous fallout between the Irish football manager McCarthy and his star player Keane ahead of the World Cup in South Korea and Japan 23 years ago.

Speaking at a gala screening of the movie at Belfast Film Festival, Trevor Birney said he was told “friendships that have never been the same again since 2002 are going to be challenged again”.

Even as a five-year-old, one of the movie’s stars, Eanna Hardwicke, said he “distinctly” remembers the heightened emotions in Ireland after the clash between Keane and McCarthy at pre-tournament training in Saipa

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