THEY could have rehashed the script from any one of six earlier games in the series as Ireland and Wales battled each other with more passion than poise at the Arms Park in Cardiff last night.

On this occasion, a strong wind and persistent rain made life difficult but in every other aspect the plot was authentic in this mish mash of Celtic fervour and spurned opportunity.

A couple of years ago, the FAI on the advice of Jack Charlton, abandoned the fixture as largely irrelevant in the context of preparing teams for European competition and I suspect that criticism will be seen as equally valid now in the context of impending World Cup appointments for both countries.

Having dithered for some time on whether to use the game as a full-scale rehearsal for the April 2nd meeting with Macedonia or experiment with fringe players, Mick McCarthy eventually came down on the side of the latter.

In addition to the enforced change in goal he opted against all expectations, to put Kenny Cunningham, Ian Harte and Jon Goodman into a starting line-up and walked away at the end convinced that in Goodman he was found another viable option for the frontline place vacated by John Aldridge.

While others may have tired of the sheer predictability of it all the Wimbledon player put himself around in a manner of the man who sensed that he had just 90 minutes to stake out his claims for a future in international football.

A blank scoreline testified to the fact that on the night, the two debutante goalkeepers Keith Branagan and Mark Crossley successfully negotiated the hazards of dealing with crosses which hung in the air and shots that came off the turf at pace.

But Goodman in his first full game at any level for almost three months could still reflect that he did as well as could reasonably be expected in what amounted to quite the biggest challenge of his career.

Pacey and alert he got himself into some excellent positions on occasions but in the end was denied by the resource of Crossley and the out stretched boot of Karl Ready as the shot travelled at speed towards the gap between the goalkeeper and his right hand post in the 58th minute.

For Harte, too, it was an eminently rewarding night as he settled in at leftback to make an instant impression on a pitifully small crowd of less than 7,000 on this wretched evening.

Cunningham quietly resourceful, could reflect that he got through the 90 minutes without serious error at rightback but that statement has to be measured against the fact that most of the traffic was flowing in the direction of the Welsh goalmouth both before and after the interval.

For many the most pertinent question awaiting answer in the Irish team was whether Paul McGrath at 37 could do enough to convince McCarthy that he is deserving of reclaiming his old position in central defence for the more important meetings with Macedonia and Romania in the months ahead.

The Derby player it has to be recorded was competent without ever dominating in the old imperious manner. That was down in no small measure to the fact that he quickly found himself embroiled in a heavyweight physical struggle with the Welsh strikers, Mark Hughes and John Hartson.

It was as much as he could do to win his personal battle without taking the added responsibility for those around him and it has to be said that he achieved his primary objective. Whether it was convincing enough to persuade MeCarthy to retain him for the world cup fixtures remains to be seen but it was at least a promising start in the long road back from the wilderness from the last nine months.

Roy Keane was at all times the most commanding figure in midfield as he co-ordinated the Irish build up but no less than the hard working Steve Staunton and Jason McAteer who drifted for long periods in the second hall, he was never capable of summoning the decisive pass to uncover the gaps in a heavily populated Welsh defence.

Wales as ever were admirably forthright at the back with Gary Speed dealing comfortably with anything which dropped behind the central defence but in midfield, the home team frequently looked as threadbare as ever.

There were moments early on when Vinnie Jones's physical presence and the more refined skills of Sheffield Wednesday's Mark Pembridge threatened the Irish but gradually the danger in each instance receded.

Hughes was as competitive as ever and with Hartson enjoying a couple of excellent moments in the opening half they asked some pertinent questions of the rebuilt Irish defence.

McCarthy's decision to include both Harte and Terry Phelan with Staunton filling a more central role in midfield unbalanced the team on occasions but within 45 seconds of the kick off the Leeds youngster had provided an inviting cross for Alan McLoughlin in front of Crossley's goal.

Fortunately, for the Welsh keeper McLoughlin made a poor attempt to keep the header down and Crossley's sense of relief would be shared within another two minutes by the other newcomer in the goalkeeper's sweater.

After Phelan had done well to prevent Robinson converging on a Hughes cross at the far upright, Branagan was blatantly alarmed to be confronted by the intimidating sight of Jones and Speed converging on him as the ensuing corner floated into the six-yard area. Fortunately, the Scottish referee decreed that he had been impeded by Jones and even as the ball sailed on the wind into the net he was already indicating a free out.

As the Irish battled into the teeth of the elements Crossley was required to keep his concentration and his footing to deny McAteer but the bigger test by far emerged midway through the opening half. As the Irish battled into the teeth of the elements Crossley was required to keep his concentration and his footing to deny McAteer but the bigger test by far emerged midway through the opening half.

On the first occasion he did wells to deny Cascarino after dropping Harte's shot and even better to parry another drive from Cascarino when Goodman in Ireland's most enterprising moment of the night, brilliantly turned Speed in front of goal.

In the end Crossley, correctly identified by Welsh manager, Bobby Gould as his man-of-the-match denied the Irish the win they probably deserved by stopping two headers from Cascarino and substitute David Kelly in the last quarter of an hour.

After that a heavy sense of inevitability settled on the occasion and we repaired to the damp city outside to appraise yet again the doubtful benefits of a series which has now, I believe, run its course.