Shane Long's wife has revealed he employed breathing techniques used during her pregnancy to help aid stricken Republic of Ireland team-mate Seamus Coleman.
Long - a father of three - was seen embracing Coleman after the star full-back suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula in a horror challenge from Neil Taylor during Friday's goalless World Cup qualifying draw at home to Wales.
But there was more to Long's presence than met the eye as Coleman was carried off the field on a stretcher.
"I had a hypnotherapy birth and they taught Shane to help me to breathe through it," Kayleah Long told the Sunday Independent.
"He told me: 'It all came back to me. I was just talking to Seamus, teaching him how to breathe through it.' He remembered it all.
"I asked if Seamus was listening to him and he said, 'Yes, to be fair, he was. He was really breathing well'."
Ireland - who are almost certainly set to be without Coleman for the remainder of qualifying - are four points clear of Wales in Group D and only behind leaders Serbia on goal difference.
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