Ireland boss Martin O’Neill may be able to cross one item off the check-list ahead of Euro 2016, having implemented a new system in the 2-2 draw with Slovakia.
The ex-Celtic boss was always going to have a look at new players over the course of friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia but a host of injuries forced 10 changes to the starting team on Tuesday night.
The midfield consisted of James McCarthy, Eunan O’Kane, Glenn Whelan and Wes Hoolahan, with James McClean supporting Shane Long up front, both of whom scored from the spot.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, O’Neill said: “Considering the number of changes that we made to the team I thought they got on to that [system] pretty quickly.
“It was a new system as well, just to have a look at it because during the courses of the matches that we’ll be playing out there we might have to adapt and look at different things.
“So we played a sort of a diamond formation with the two lads up front and I thought the two of them did particularly well.”
“The first half I was very, very pleased.”
Having kept four consecutive cleans sheets at Lansdowne Road, O’Neill was disappointed with the manner in which the visitors managed to break down the Ireland defence.
He added: “I suppose the manner in which we conceded them was obviously disappointing but we’ll look at that, it’s going to happen.
“We are far from the finished article but we’ve got a lot of willing people out there who want to be in the 23-man squad.”
By far the most disappointing aspect of the night was an injury to goalkeeper Rob Elliot after 14 minutes.
“It’s really disappointing news for him. I think that he has got a serious knee injury at this moment,” said O’Neill.
