The bewildering evasion by players of the traditional post-match interviews outside the dressing rooms (the crafty beggars left by a back door) ensured a 40-mile journey back to the team hotel which resembled an episode of the Wacky Races.

Flanked by its police escort, the team bus made good time as it headed back towards the Cypriot coast. Spurred on by their need to record observations on what had been one of the team's better nights in recent seasons, an assortment of reporters followed by a variety of means.

If a "Mr Nix" happens to be reading this while waiting at the ground for the taxi he ordered after the game, certain members of the Irish press corps would like to offer their apologies. In the circumstances, they reckoned their need was greater than yours.

Back in Limassol, the players seemed perfectly content. Everybody conceded there had been better performances, but few could remember more convincing results.

"Four nil, not too bad," said a smiling Roy Keane. "We were a bit sloppy in the second half, that was down to a lack of concentration, but the important thing is that we seem to be getting better at coming to countries like this.

"Overall, the performance wasn't too bad," he added, "but then we have to remember who we were playing out there. I mean no disrespect to Cyprus, but nearly all of our players now are regulars with their teams in the Premier League. We should expect to go to countries like this and win."

On his own performance, the Manchester United skipper was even more circumspect, but when it came to his manager he had only praise, observing that while Mick McCarthy had been through a very tough few days, "it was never allowed to affect the players. I think he showed how a good a manager he is, what a good professional he is".

Gary Kelly also had reason to draw satisfaction from the game. Having provided the cross for Keane's opener and scored the third, the full back marked his return to competitive international football in style.

"I enjoyed the whole thing," he said with a grin. "I was delighted to set up the first for Roy, which was important . . . we'd already missed a couple of chances. And then scoring the third, which sort of killed it off, was great."

At the other end he made his presence felt too, most notably just before half-time when he twice cleared off the line. "That's my job, though, I'm a defender. If I'm keeping them out it just means I'm doing all right. It could have been Ian, Gary or Kenny but I was lucky that I was there and I'm happy that the ball stayed out".

With Ian Harte also scoring, there was cause for a minor family celebration in the camp but Kelly was thinking more along club lines, joking: "We were giving Robbie (Keane) a bit of stick because he didn't complete the Leeds United hat-trick."

Keane may see Wednesday as an ideal opportunity to make amends.