It was hardly a flawless performance, but 4-0? Away from home? Maybe it's a positive sign of just how far this team has come over the past couple of years that we're not just lavishing praise on Mick McCarthy's side for the margin of their victory on Saturday night.

It was clear from the outset that Cyprus were vastly improved on the side that would have been considered a fairly soft touch a few years back. They were well organised, had a few lads who could play a bit, and really should have scored given the number of chances that they created.

But the Irish showed that they were the better side by a distance and, even if they were a little flattered by the size of the win, nobody would have quibbled with a two goal win and McCarthy must surely have been prepared to have settled for that beforehand.

While there were a few shaky moments, just before half-time and for a while in the second half, nobody did a huge amount wrong and Roy Keane was terrific.

In ways, you see the quality of a player from the way he performs against stronger sides, but what we saw on Saturday evening, in a game where several of the Irish players probably had a little bit of difficulty getting themselves focussed, was the way that he is able to apply himself to any task. His goals were a well-deserved reward for an outstanding display.

Where the game was probably won, though, was out wide in defence, for Ireland's two full backs were allowed to pick up an astonishing amount of possession and to carry the ball forward into strong attacking positions.

I doubt that Ian Harte has seen more of the ball during any first half he has ever played in, while I certainly can't think of a game in which Gary Kelly has made a more decisive contribution.

Around them, Kenny Cunningham looked a little rusty and Jason McAteer was Jason McAteer, excellent one minute, baffling the next. But personally I can't see any pressing reason why McCarthy would want to make too many changes for Wednesday night.

True, he won't have been too happy with his side's failure to kill off the remaining Cypriot challenge earlier on in the game, but some of that sting will have been absorbed by the strength of his side's finish to the match.

Roy Keane was terrific. What we saw on Saturday evening is the way he is able to apply himself to any task. His goals were a well deserved reward for an outstanding display

He will have been particularly pleased with David Connolly who I thought worked hard, created things for players around him and generally caused a lot of problems for the home side's defence. Mark Kinsella was another solid performer while Shay Given, while not having a great deal to do, was alert when he had to be.

For the next game McCarthy might think of giving Damien Duff a run down the wing, but, to be honest, there's no great pressure on him when he makes his team selection because he'll know, like the rest of us, that whatever 11 he starts with they should win the game quite easily.

What we are likely to see is the same game plan that you tend to see from all of these lesser footballing nations. An attempt to frustrate opponents followed by a bit of prodding as confidence grows a little, followed, if they get that far, by an attempt to maybe nick something.

It's what Cyprus tried to do but something they had to abandon quite early on because they found themselves under pressure and needing to do something more at home than simply dig in to limit the damage.

Andorra shouldn't be nearly as good at it and another early goal in Barcelona might really pave the way to a fruitful night out.

After that, we should beat them again at home which would bring us up to the Portugal game in pretty good shape. Only if we beat them in Dublin can we really start talking about Ireland topping the group. To be honest, I don't see the Portuguese, who are the best side in then group, slipping up and if they don't then we are looking at battling it out with the Dutch for second spot and a place in the play-offs.

With that in mind, a Portuguese win over Holland on Wednesday would probably do us rather nicely as it would improve our chances of having to do no more than draw with Louis van Gaal's side at Lansdowne Road.

All of which is, perhaps, to get a little carried away with the fortunes of others. What is important out of this weekend is that McCarthy's side did all that could be asked of them. They beat a mediocre side and scored a few goals into the bargain.

They have good cause to feel pleased with themselves as they prepare today for this evening's transfer to the Catalonian capital. Things are going well and people are griping because they are not going better. Just as it always should be.

In an interview with Emmet Malone