A summer evening around leafy Ballsbridge and the shouts of the players passing audibly over the rutting turf as the latecomers stroll languidly in. A nice occasion to consummate an encouraging Irish victory.

"Yes very pleased," noted Mick McCarthy. "It was billed as something not worthwhile but it turned out to be very worthwhile. The players who went on played very well."

All assessments pivot on the personnel lists but, even allowing for convalescent wards full of stars, this was a satisfactory night for the Irish. Those who turned up with reputations in their kit bags did well, those looking for a niche did better.

"I've tried to protect the players tonight," said McCarthy of his generous rotation of players. "And the managers who have been so good to me. Brian Kidd sent all his players. Some of these players have the biggest games of their careers coming up. I was just so delighted with this squad that turned up, players wanting to play even with little niggles."

And he wasn't just feeling the quality, he was enjoying the width. "We are developing some depth. Just look at the situation, we have many quality left-sided players now: Duffer, Kevin Kilbane - if you think of his debut 18 months ago in Iceland he has come on so well - Kennedy, Carr on the right, and then Graham Kavanagh. It's a nice situation to find myself in, but it doesn't surprise me."

It was a night for mending some fractured careers. Several of the players at McCarthy's disposal must see these Irish trips as moments of reprieve from the drudgery of their club lives.

Take David Connolly whose £12,000 a week deal at Feyenoord is becoming a matter for condolence and sympathy. His fretful early efforts won't have completely lightened his mind as he sees out the last weeks of his dark loan spell at Wolves, but he hung in there, taking the buffeting until a few chances opened up. McCarthy has always been full of encouragement for Connolly and last night justified the policy.

"He was like a punch bag out there. They were kicking him from pillar to post. I was always going to take him off, but I thought he was excellent." Kennedy, another one of McCarthy's rehab projects, was a lot livelier, full of the unique fecklessness of wingers once he found the rhythm of the game.

"I think you know my feelings on Mark. I trust his ability, he got better in the game because he's not been playing matches. He scored just in time. I was going to take him off."

The roll call continued. Steve Carr, a Premiership fixture making his debut, and Graham Kavanagh (surprisingly not making his) both merited managerial commendation.

Finally, a reluctant accord between McCarthy and the bozos of the fourth estate. Kenny Cunningham's man of the match award was greeted with good feeling everywhere, except in Henrik Larsson's house.

"Kenny Cunningham was a good defender in the first place but he's become more accomplished in the last couple of years. I don't know where there are too many better defenders now." McCarthy was joined on the rostrum by Tommy Soderberg, his opposite number. The Swedes had drawn a small gallery of big-foot English soccer reporters to assess their worth before they match wits with Kevin Keegan's side. Soderberg treaded a thin line between expressing disappointment at the result and pleasure at the value of the exercise.

"We're always a little disappointed to lose but it was a good experience. Ireland gave us a good game, you always learn. Picked up a few things we wanted this game, they work hard, they have some good skills, they moved the ball forward fast. It was what we wanted."

So Sweden head for their showdowns with England and Ireland roll on into the football limbo that war has created. Will we see them both at the European Championship? "We hope," said McCarthy. "Expectation is one thing. Hope is another," said Tommy.