In the end it was a defeat; a performance that didn't have the same drive which was evident against Belgium.
John O'Shea's second game as interim boss, an indicator, as if we needed reminding, of where the Republic of Ireland are at in the football pecking order.
A March window that drew a blank when it came to putting the ball in the net. This, after a 2023 that yielded two wins against lowly Gibraltar.
April will see the announcement of the new full-time manager. A nation no doubt holding its breath as to who it will be! Though, O'Shea did state in his post-match press conference on Tuesday night that he is "more than ready" to manage Ireland. Much then for whoever is in the hotseat to ponder after watching these Aviva encounters.
Against the Swiss, Ireland played in moments. They started well enough, but quickly the team in red gained a foothold and Xherdan Shaqiri delightfully curled in a free-kick on 23 minutes for the only goal of the game. The visitors took off their midfield conductor Granit Xhaka at the break; they seemed content to hold on to what they had for the second 45.
Speaking on 2fm's Game On, former Ireland international Stephen Kelly summed up a chilly evening in Dublin 4, when saying: "John O'Shea will be happy enough with the two performances but I felt there was more in this game if we had gone after it.
"We never really tested their goalkeeper, we were a bit more dangerous, a bit more lively in the second half, without really creating a great chance.
"Defensively we were solid enough and didn't look like we were going to concede - but they took the foot off the pedal.
"[Adam] Idah looked confident running in behind and caused them problems. In the last 20 minutes we looked like we were getting a bit more energy."
Speaking on the same programme, fellow analyst Paul Corry lamented the Irish goal threat and while he felt Adam Idah provided some spark when he was introduced, he added that the Celtic loanee is still "a little raw in elements of his game".
On Ireland's shyness in front of goals, Corry continued: "The majority of our chances still look like they'll come from a set-piece. We don't look like we're capable of creating too many chances in that final third; the combination play does not seem to be there.
"We're not able to break down a team who play a low block. That may come, with minutes into players legs and combinations between different players sparking something along the way. You have to take into consideration that Switzerland are a top team in Europe.
"There were moments in the game where you thought it was going to come. I think over the balance of the two games there are elements of John O'Shea in what he has put into the team that are positive."
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