Regrets? More than a few

THE last 48 hours have been a tale of two pictures of Ireland’s World Cup ambitions. The small picture highlights the disappointment of two points dropped in the final minute of the game against Israel on Saturday.

But the bigger picture offers a different perspective. In the wake of the scoreless draw between France and Switzerland in Paris, the result in Tel Aviv looks more like one away point gained, as things continues to stay tight at the top of Group 4.

Back in Dublin after a long haul made that bit longer by the drama of Milo Corcoran's illness just before the Irish team left Tel Aviv, manager Brian Kerr happy to hear that the FAI President had been given the all-clear in medical tests was certainly accentuating the positive.

"The result of the Paris game had an impact on our feelings," he said. "The draw there was what we'd suggested beforehand would be the best one for the group. The group remains much the same with another game gone.

"I've had a chance to look again at a fair bit of our game and I saw that we moved it around really well, retained possession and frustrated them a lot. Our goal was quite delightful in many ways, with eleven passes in the move.

"We played with great composure and it was just frustrating that we lost the two points late on. There was definitely a sense of disappointment at losing the goal as late as we did. There was an air of annoyance and frustration around. The players felt it themselves. We felt that we'd controlled the game and handled most of their attacking ploys."

"But the group is as it was before the two games on Saturday. Our situation is that we have the home games in our favour although we still have two very awkward away games to come but while the result in Paris has done us a favour, it doesn't change things an awful lot. It just goes to show how tight the group and it's likely to go to the last weekend to decide the first and second places, We need to be in there when that comes about.

"Given our record at Lansdowne Road, having the games against France, Switzerland and Israel at home is an advantage at this stage but we have to get the points. I'm sure France, who have now had three nil-all draws at home, would consider themselves very capable of getting results away. It might suit them better when teams are attacking them and they can play on the break. Switzerland have now gone and scrapped away points in Israel and France. We've gone to the three of them but we've still to do Cyprus and the Faroes and they won't be handy matches either, the way they play."

Returning to Saturday night's game, Kerr allowed that he was unhappy with Ireland's set-pieces "The quality of delivery was disappointing and wasn't of the standard that we'd like" and also felt that the team "could have made more use of the ball in the final third when we had good possession."

On the other hand, viewing the game on television suggested to him that Ireland might have had a penalty for handball, "when Keisi knocked it away with his arm as Roy came in at the back post". Kerr also charged that three Israeli players were in offside positions and blocking Shay Given's view, for Suan's equalising goal.

"That was my instinct at the time because I was surprised Shay didn't get it given how many he's saved recently. And watching it again, it was clear that someone was in his eyeline. But these are small things. Overall it was a decent enough performance and the group remains the same."

On the subject of the bookings which will rule Roy Keane and Stephen Carr out of Ireland's next qualifier, the return game against Israel in Lansdowne Road on June 4, the manager made clear that he still wants the players in for the back-to-back fixtures that will see the team travel to the Faroe Islands for another qualifier four days later.

"The situation is that the two games will be together in a little package of games at a key time in the group, and our preparations for those two games will be the same for all the players," he said. "Roy and Stephen won't be eligible for the first game but they'll be eligible for the second. And I would hope they will be part of the full programme in advance of that which also involves the Jackie McNamara testimonial at Celtic Park."

Meanwhile, attention now turns to tomorrow night's friendly against China at Lansdowne Road, for which Glasgow Celtic's Aiden McGeady has been called up from the Under-21 squad.

KERR also confirmed that Gary Breen is out with a knee twinge picked up in training in Tel Aviv and is returning to Sunderland. Matt Holland yesterday flew straight from Israel to London to be with his wife, who is recovering from a broken leg following a horse-riding accident.

"We wanted him to get home as quickly as possible," said Kerr. "I would like him to come back and play in the game against China but I will have to talk to him and see what his domestic situation is."

Kerr revealed that Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny will play in order to pick up more international experience, and that there will also be starts for Andy Reid, Graham Kavanagh and Richard Dunne. The game should also see a run-out for Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott, the squad's most inexperienced member, but Kerr said he has yet to decide if he will start Clinton Morrison.

"It's one I have to weigh up. He took his goal really well on Saturday but he wasn't as sharp as he was when he was playing regularly for Birmingham and he'd accept that himself. It might do him good to get another one under his belt."

Action in World Cup qualifying Group 4 resumes the following night, when Switzerland host Cyprus and France visit Israel, for whom striker Golan, defender and captain Benado and goal hero Suan are all suspended.