Shay Given is unlikely to have had a quieter halves in the 125 caps he amassed prior to last night’s return to the international stage against Oman.
The Donegal man had one save to make in those 45 minutes, there wasn’t much to get the blood up, but he was clearly happy with his decision to reverse his retirement plans.
“You could probably have played in goals,” he told one reporter afterwards. “It was very quiet obviously, very little to do. I had more to do in the warm up. It was probably more about preparing for the mental side of the game again - coming here to the Aviva and rolling out playing for Ireland again.
“It’s a special thing to play for your country and it was nice to pull the jersey back on again.”
There were no nerves, no at this stage of his career.
“Just more excitement to get playing than nerves. It’s nice to run out in Dublin again and even just flying over on the plane to meet up with the squad again was a strange but nice feeling. It felt good to be back on the pitch.”
Captain for the night Richard Keogh described getting the armband as the “proudest moment of my career by a long way.”
“It was a really proud moment and very humbling. It is nice that the gaffer thinks of me like that and hopefully I’ll repay him with my performances. I’m just looking to kick on now, it is great to be part of the squad, the lads are fantastic and I really enjoy meeting up every time I get here.”
He had no time to settle in to the role having been told “just before the game”.
“It is something that will live with me forever. When the manager said to me I was a bit shocked, obviously immensely proud. The lads were fantastic to me and congratulated me.”
Shane Long got 30 minutes off the bench when Martin O’Neill called goalscorer Kevin Doyle, Wes Hoolahan and Anthony Pilkington ashore and brought the Southampton striker on with Robbie Keane and Aiden McGeady.
Despite the extra competition it will inevitably bring, Long was pleased to see his former Reading team-mate Doyle back amongst the goals, his first half header from Robbie Brady’s corner having given Ireland the lead in the 20th minute.
“Delighted for him, it’s been tough for him for a while now,” said the Tipperary man. “From outside the club (Wolves) I can’t understand it because he’s a good player, you saw that tonight, Crystal Palace have done very well to get him on loan. It’s nice for him to get a couple of minutes under his belt and get the goal. I’m sure he’s just looking forward to getting back playing football at Palace.
It was a “good win” and “a good half hour” for Long.
“They sat in deep and it was hard to break them down, but a 2-0 win, a clean sheet, it’s positive.”
He added: “I think the most important thing was the lads showing confidence on the ball and the way we played football, we didn’t just lump it and try and get in behind them, we kept possession and passed it around well and hopefully got a bit of confidence going into Sunday (against Georgia).”
Long dismissed the notion that he, Doyle and Keane might be fighting for one place up top, pointing to the fact the fact he and LA Galaxy striker played as a two-man strikeforce after coming on after Hoolahan operated in behind Doyle.
“No, me and Robbie came on and brought a different style of game to Oman and caused them problems. Robbie can drop in and test in behind, I’m more prone to getting in behind and dropping out wide to get the ball.
“It depends on what the gaffer thinks will affect Georgia the most defensively. He’s got a few options and he’ll have a headache to select 11 players never mind the front two. Hopefully I’ve put myself in his mind.”
As for who gets the nod between the posts in Tblisi, Given insisted there has been no indication as yet, with David Forde and Keiren Westwood in the frame as well.
“Not yet,” he said, but he’s keen now he’s back.
“I’m ready of course, as we all are.”
