SOCCER:This was a frustrating, uneven display but there were enough positives, writes PAT FENLON

IT LOOKED like we would be talking about a wasted two points until Keith Fahey got on the end of that Robbie Keane half chance to score the goal that completed the job.

It was ugly at times but three points was all that mattered from this fixture.

Other sides will go to Armenia, break their spirit early, and hand them a comprehensive and certainly heavier defeat.

It didn’t pan out like that last night for Ireland but there are enough positives for us to be heartened ahead of Andorra’s visit on Tuesday.

Giovanni Trapattoni will be disappointed with the collective performance but when he weighs it all up next week, presuming they will have banked six points from the two opening games, he will be happy as this display should bring a lot more out of them next week. No one will be pleased.

It just shows you how unpredictable football can be; in the last competitive performance in Paris we witnessed Ireland’s best showing for years but were left with an empty feeling. This was a frustrating, uneven display yet Keith came in and delivered the victory.

It can be seen as a good omen for us in the new campaign that we got a bit of luck. We deserved that.

As an aside, it was a great night for the League of Ireland, what with Kevin Doyle’s magnificent display up front. Kevin won his headers and was a constant threat. Like Keith, he came up through our league and is now delivering on the international stage.

There is plenty more to come from Fahey. Since returning to English football he has added strength, the discipline to work in a team system and his defensive discipline has markedly improved. He has made himself a fundamental part of the Irish squad.

I would have no fears about starting him in the middle alongside Glenn Whelan on Tuesday, although I think Trapattoni will go with Darron Gibson, his range of passing makes him the strongest candidate but any one from Keith Andrews, Darron or Fahey are capable of keeping the ball for us.

It does look like Paul Green has slipped down the pecking order on this display.

Green would have been sitting in the dressingroom at half-time in no doubt he was no longer playing an international friendly or with Derby County. The pace of the game passed past him by in the first 45 minutes and it barely improved after the interval.

As can happen to a player unused to the discipline of the holding role, he got caught between two stools. Armenia were playing a man off their lone striker and Green was torn between covering the runner and pressing the ball. Eventually he dropped off to deny them getting clean ball into feet but he struggled.

The key to Trapattoni’s system is the two holding midfielders. It is a clear-cut approach that favours both midfielders minding the house. Green will be aware more so than anyone that he needs to adapt to this rigid system if he is to play a significant role in the current campaign.

In his defence, Ireland usually come in as underdogs and the two central midfielders sit back and let teams come at them while one of the strikers drops deep to help out. Yesterday was about pushing for an early goal so it was different and Green suffered as a result.

Only Liam Lawrence came out of the midfield with any credit but the back four showed well throughout. I questioned Richard Dunne’s fitness but he cannot be criticised for this performance.

We had two great chances in either half that Keane really should have done better with. Robbie is the man you want to get on the end of these opportunities but he sliced the first and the second was on his left foot. Still, the match should have been sown up. There was a sharpness issue that hopefully he can sort out with some game time for Spurs before the Russians arrive next month.

There was little doubt that Ireland were in control; in truth, Armenia looked a poor side, but they overdid the long ball through Shay Given for Doyle to flick on. Granted this option set up Keane’s early chance but repeating it in quick succession let the opposition slip into a deep-lying formation to combat the route one assaults.

If Ireland got the ball down and retained possession it would have become a more straightforward proposition.

But there were enough positives. We defended well. We have three points. And crucially, the manager knows more about his players. This is a good thing for Keith Fahey.