With the tall new stand at the Railway end virtually complete, and work well underway on the structure of the south stand, the rebuilding of the “new” Windsor Park is taking shape.

It provided an appropriate background on Sunday for Northern Ireland’s fourth win out of five games in their Euro Qualifying group, and it would seem that the rebuilding of the team is slightly ahead of the reconstruction of its new home; and as much as the imposing new stands rise up from the rubble, the tall figure of Kesh man Kyle Lafferty and his goals are proving even more talismanic for a bright new era.

Lafferty’s two first half goals against Finland were quality, one a superb volley from Niall McGinn’s header across the goal and the second a guided headed effort from a magnificent Conor McLaughlin cross.

Renewal was all around in the first game to be played by Northern Ireland at home on a Sunday; new stadium, new spirit in a new team.

Even at the end, there was symbolism.

One of the colleagues to congratulate big Kyle was fellow Fermanagh man and second keeper, Michael McGovern who had shone the previous Wednesday in the 1-0 defeat against Scotland.

Lafferty, of course, is a former Glasgow Rangers man, McGovern ex-Celtic, and the third man to join the group at the end was Niall McGinn, another ex-Celt now starring with Aberdeen. Two Fermanagh men and a Tyrone man from differing backgrounds.

It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come in society. There used to be a dark time when Northern Ireland’s Windsor Park was a cold house for Celtic men. Not any more.

The only cold thing on Sunday was the temperature and a biting wind which made life difficult for the players as Finland started the more inventive on the day. A save from the third Fermanagh player on the home squad, Roy Carroll proved crucial.

And then Northern Ireland began to attack with menace, particularly down the right side where the Ward-McLaughlin combination caused real problem for the Finns.

Having had a Chris Baird header from a corner controversially chalked off for offside, Northern Ireland had their best spell in the second period of the first half.

Lafferty scored his 13th and 14th goals for his country, which puts him second in the all-time list behind David Healy.

Apart from his goals, though, Lafferty was a real threat up front and showed pace, power and a good touch. Coming off with an injury late in the game, he received a rapturous ovation; the Fermanagh contingent in the crowd loved it.

The second half was mostly a non-event; Northern Ireland kept ball and organised well against Finland’s possession. There was a late scare when a shot was parried by Carroll and Sadik pulled a goal back in added time.

It was too little too late, and Michael O’Neill’s side gained a deserved win which keeps them in second place, four points ahead of Hungary who could only manage a 0-0 draw against Greece later in the evening.

O’Neill deserves great credit for the rebirth of this squad; and great plaudits for his handling of Lafferty who is being talked about as potentially one of Northern Ireland’s greats.

High praise for a man who had his troubles in the previous World Cup campaign.

Lafferty has scored five goals in five games in this Euro campaign and has become vital to this team’s hopes.

Up in the North Stand on Sunday, in his usual seat for Northern Ireland games was Jim Cleary, who showed his delight at the two goals.

To date, Cleary is the only Fermanagh man to represent his country at a World Cup as part of the Northern Ireland squad in 1982 in Spain.

If Lafferty, Carroll and McGovern keep things going, we could well have three local players in France 2016, marking 30 years on from the last time Northern Ireland qualified for a major tournament.

But like the rebuilding of the new stadium, the job isn’t quite finished yet.