Team spirit was never an issue, says happy Keane

GOALS, smiles and a rousing, guttural cheer from the Lansdowne Road crowd at the finish.

It was as far removed from the death throes of Brian Kerr's era which came to a premature end with two strangely subdued evenings against Switzerland and France late last year.

The new bounce that was so apparent in Team Staunton was captured perfectly after Robbie Keane made a beeline for Mick Byrne in the dug-out immediately after scoring Ireland's second goal soon after the restart.