Save for the male streaker who braved sub zero temperatures to stake a claim to the night's entertainment, the Republic of Ireland's international friendly with Paraguay conformed strictly to script at Lansdowne Road.

There were no hidden landmines and nothing to suggest a slump in form as professionalism triumphed over Latin passion and a scratch Paraguayan team was brought quickly to heel.

If there was a disappointment it was in the quality of the goals, the first coming from Denis Irwin's penalty, the other a scrambled effort by substitute David Connolly in the second half.

That was scant enough return from a performance enriched by Damien Duff's splendid distribution and the unhurried skill which established Roy Keane at the heart of Ireland's early efforts. But in every other respect Mick McCarthy was entitled to claim mission accomplished before he prepares to take his team to Macedonia for Ireland's European Championship Group Eight qualifier next month.

Paraguay, ill at ease in the icy cold, bore all the signs of a team cobbled together. The cynical professional fouls at the back were authentic enough, but that perhaps was the only resemblance to the side which had reached the last 16 in the World Cup finals in France.

In the circumstances, a crowd of almost 28,000 was entitled to more goals but a combination of bad luck and a series of fine saves by goalkeeper Ricardo Taverelli contrived to keep the score-line respectable for the South Americans.

They were undeniably fortunate when Niall Quinn climbed above Miguel Acosta to make contact with Duff's cross in the 27th minute only to see the ball strike the underside of the crossbar. Taverelli was rescued again by Miguel Acosta's goal-line clearance from Duff's shot and when the goalkeeper denied the same player with an outstretched leg early in the second half, the Blackburn player must have sensed that the search for that elusive first international goal would be on-going.

At that stage, however, the first blow had already been struck with Jason McAteer's measured pass forcing Igancio Rolon into the desperate tackle which felled Robbie Keane in the 38th minute.

Icelandic referee Thor Orrason, perhaps the only person in the ground not inconvenienced by the weather, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and with equal finality Irwin tucked the spot-kick into the corner of the net.

It would be nice to record that Connolly, a 66th-minute replacement for Robbie Keane, marked his return to international football with an illustration of the finishing skills which lit up the early days of McCarthy's reign.

However, his goal was no thing of beauty, the ball cannoning off his thigh into the roof of the net after he had competed with Rolon for another inviting cross, this time delivered by the resourceful Irwin.

Yet, they all count in the record book and when the manager reflects on victory this morning he will be encouraged by the quality of the midfield play which reduced the Paraguayans to a distant second best at the break.

Keane, strutting his stuff with an ease which bordered on arrogance, was frequently masterful, tidying up everything in his pivotal role and occasionally producing a quality pass.

Duff's sleight of foot and the quality of the crosses which time and again stretched the defenders augers well for the remainder of the European programme. In Yugoslavia three months ago, he provided irrefutable evidence that the promise of his early Ireland career was no freak.

Last night he was more effective still, turning Jorge Valdez time and again and invariably producing the accurate, early cross which on another night might well have produced a bigger harvest of goals.

Alongside Roy Keane, Mark Kinsella's ball control in tight situations was again impressive and if Jason McAteer required some time to work up head of steam, his contribution in the second half, when the visitors were nearly always on the back foot, was also significant.

There were occasions early on when it seemed as if Quinn and Robbie Keane were having problems getting on the same wavelength. The uncompromising Parguayans, clattering into opponents with disturbing regularity, was probably a contributory factor but eventually the partnership functioned more fluently.

At the back there were no moments of undue stress, although Alan Kelly, one of six Irish substitutes introduced in the course of the game, did well to parry Ivan Peralov's angled shot late in the game.

What little there was to do was undertaken comfortably by Irwin, in particular, and on occasions by Kenny Cunningham and Gary Breen at the centre of the defence.

All in all then, a highly competent performance and one which suggests that the Irishman are fired up for that crucial date with Macedonia in Skopje on March 27th.