– Niall Kelly reports from the Aviva Stadium
IT WASN’T A vintage performance by any means, with plenty to work on, but Martin O’Neill was happy to get 2016 off to a winning start.
Ciaran Clark’s second-minute header was the only goal as Ireland dug out a 1-0 win against Switzerland in the first of their Euro 2016 warm-up matches.
“We probably lacked a little bit of cohesion,” O’Neill said afterwards, “but it’s nice to keep momentum going against what I thought was a very fine Swiss side who kept possession well and certainly put us under pressure.
“There are things we can definitely improve. I thought we could have a wee bit more confidence in ourselves when in possession of the ball.
“It’s nice to win the game and keep that momentum going. I just wanted us to be on the front foot a wee bit more.”
Defensive duo Shane Duffy and Ciaran Clark were the outstanding performers in an experimental Ireland side, with Duffy named man of the match on only his second senior appearance.
As he starts to finalise his 23-man squad for France, O’Neill brushed off talk of any selection headaches in defence.
“Clark doesn’t give me any headaches whatsoever,” he said. “I’m absolutely delighted with him.
“I know his capabilities anyway, inside out, and he’s come on strongly here regardless of what’s happening at club level.
“That’s very encouraging. I think he’s left trials and tribulations at club level behind him. We encouraging him greatly to (do that) and he responds.”
O’Neill added: “It’s nice to see young Duffy do well tonight and take the game in his stride.
“Whatever you say about it, from Championship football up to international level against a side who have qualified and who have come on very strongly in their group after a slow start, that will give him a big boost of confidence.”
O’Neill had some sympathy for Brentford playmaker Alan Judge who played the full 90 minutes on his senior debut but often looked isolated in an unfamiliar wide role.
“I think it was a wee bit of a frustrating night for him. I was hoping that we could get the ball to him in dangerous areas rather than him chasing it.
“He worked exceptionally hard during the course of the night but just to get him isolated once or twice with full-backs, get him on his strong points, that would have been great but it just wasn’t to be tonight.”
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