Spare parts show their value

World Cup/Friendly International: After the autumn's heroics, what more could we have expected from two sides with far too much on their minds to worry about nights like these? writes Emmet Malone

Republic of Ireland ... 2

Russia ... 0

That 42,500 turned out to see the match was an indication of the ocean of goodwill generated by Mick McCarthy's side back in November. That they were rewarded with a win was welcome, because the reality is that, after a generally entertaining first half, they were hardly treated to the most memorable of games.

The fact that Ireland made 12 substitutions provides ample explanation of the reasons for that. Each new arrival yielded consistently diminishing returns in terms of the game's quality and matters were not much helped by the generally subdued approach of two sides who, between them, included 11 of the players that started their last World Cup qualifying games but who, understandably, produced only rare glimpses of the passion that got them to Japan this summer.

This was, though, effectively a scouting exercise for McCarthy and on that front at least, there was something of interest to take in.

Of the complete newcomers to his squad Colin Healy rather than Richard Sadlier started and, like Andy O'Brien, who made his first start behind him in defence, the Corkman made as a strong a case as he could have hoped for on a night when several of those around him were doing little more than putting in the time until the departure date for Japan.

In his underage caps for Ireland, Healy has as often as not found himself filling in as a full back and his defensive instincts were obvious through last night's first half. Most of all, though, it was his determination to get involved at every opportunity that impressed.

On three separate occasions he made particularly strong interventions, the best of which was his wonderfully-timed challenge just outside the area on Vladimir Beschastnykh, while probably the most important was his challenge on Dmity Khokhlov as the midfielder lined up a crack at Shay Given's goal from well inside the area.

O'Brien also showed that he intended to more than make up the numbers and the 22-year-old demonstrated a capability to contribute both to his side's occasionally hurried defensive work and, when the chance arose, to the more impressive flowing, attacking game.

His header a few minutes before the break almost certainly prevented Igor Titov from turning a flicked-on ball inside the left hand post and seconds before the half ended his interception close to the half-way line sparked a move that would have ended with a goal had Damien Duff gone long for the late arriving Kevin Kilbane, rather than short for the well-marked Robbie Keane.

Mick McCarthy's decision to make seven of his substitutions at half-time cut both aspirants' night short but they did at least have the pleasure of departing with the knowledge that they'd played their part in setting the home side up for a win.

Not that the Irish had exactly dominated the half but goals from Steven Reid after just three minutes and Robbie Keane after 21 left the Russians needing to do a bit more than exert persistent pressure around their hosts' penalty area only to buckle when the time came to find the target.

Oleg Romantsev would presumably have settled for a finish of the quality of either of those that provided Ireland's lead even if Reid's low drive from 20 or so yards out - a follow up effort after Ian Harte's free had been poorly cleared - did squeeze rather inexcusably beneath the body of Ruslan Nignatullin on the way to the net.

Keane required no good fortune following his precisely-planted header, although much of the credit for his goal must go to Steve Finnan, whose swivelling turn and floated cross from the right after Reid had slipped the ball forward through to him, was superb.

For their part the Russians seemed scarcely able to genuinely test Given during the first period, Beschastnykh's header midway through the half and Titov's weak right-footed shot was as much as they could muster from a generous share of the possession.

Worse, the Irish appeared at times to be intent on tempting fate around the box with Roy Keane, Ian Harte and Shay Given all opting for somewhat unorthodox approaches to playing themselves out of rouble at one time or another.

Still the Russians couldn't produce the required bite, a fact that didn't alter after one Irish side had been largely replaced by another. They might have had a penalty when Lee Carsley appeared to handle Dmitry Alenichev's cross from the left and they should have had a goal 18 minutes from time when a neat exchange between Sergei Semak and Titov should have led to more than an easy gather for Dean Kiely.

Despite the chances the visitors had to get back into the game and the disruption caused to the Irish side by the wholesale changes, McCarthy's side did still pose a threat through the second period and Ian Harte's best free-kick of several over the course of the night came within a whisker of making it 3-0. Instead the ball came crashing off the right-hand post and just eluded the outstretched leg of Robbie Keane. Not long after Clinton Morrison struck the base of the same post after good work by Carsley.

Sadlier did finally get his chance in the 71st minute but the game was becoming much less of a contest by then and it is hard to see what McCarthy could possibly have learned from the big Millwall striker's 20-minute spell on the pitch.

Roy Keane, who had gone close to hitting the target from the edge of the area three times, exited not much later and the wind down was completed in injury time when a bemused Jason McAteer was given an apologetic hug by his manager after hauling him off to make way for Niall Quinn after only throwing him on at the same time as Sadlier.

As it turned out the switch proved to be the most pointless of the night as the big striker didn't even get a kick of the ball.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Given (Newcastle United); Finnan (Fulham), O'Brien (Newcastle United), Cunningham (Wimbledon), Harte (Leeds United); Reid (Millwall), Keane (Manchester United), Healy (Celtic/Coventry City), Kilbane (Sunderland); Duff (Blackburn Rovers), Keane (Leeds United). Substitutes: Kiely (Charlton Athletic) for Given, Kelly (Leeds United) for Reid, Breen (Coventry City) for Cunningham, Dunne (Manchester City) for O'Brien, Kennedy (Wolves) for Kilbane, Carsley (Everton) for Healy, Morrison (Crystal Palance) for Duff (all half-time), Staunton (Aston Villa) for Finnan, McAteer (Sunderland) for Harte and Sadlier for Robbie Keane (all 71 mins); Holland (Ipswich Town) for Roy Keane (86 mins), Quinn (Sunderland) for McAteer (93 mins).

RUSSIA: Nigmatullin; Khlestov, Nikiforov, Onopko, Kovtun; Mostovoi; Karpin, Kokhlov, Alenichev; Beschastnykh, Titov. Substitutes: Izmailov for Khoklov (53 mins), Chugainov for Nikiforov (66 mins), Semak for Alenichev (71 mins), Daev for Khlestov (93 mins).

Referee: D Gallagher (England).