By Cathal Dervan

SOCCER: Roy Keane is back but he’s not a shadow of the imposing character of old, on or off the pitch. Keano was excellent in the first half on Saturday night but drifted into obscurity like so many of his teammates as Israel forced the pace after the break.

He’s also lost his mean touch in the dressingroom. Back at the start of the 2002 qualifying campaign Keane berated Mick McCarthy and his teammates for blowing a two goal lead in Holland. After Saturday’s surrender in Tel Aviv he was more like a pussycat than a wounded tiger when he said, “We’re down at the moment, but we’ll be okay.” Not quite how he treated Mick and the Muppets back in September 2000, is it?

SOCCER: There’s a real danger now that Ireland’s failure to win in Paris and Tel Aviv, games that were both there for the taking, will open the Group Four door to a stuttering French side. A France victory in Wednesday night’s game in Tel Aviv may well change this opinion, but I have a feeling that Raymond Domenech will be sacked as French boss in the very near future and replaced by the likes of Jean Tigana or Laurent Blanc. Both of them are well capable of persuading the likes of Zidane, Thuram and Makelele out of retirement, and then we’re in real trouble.

SOCCER: Security was strict but brisk at Dublin and Tel Aviv airports last week as all the scaremongering stories about the safety of the Irish team and fans proved totally unfounded. One supporter, though, did test the Israeli officials on the ground in Dublin. Asked the purpose of his visit to Tel Aviv, a stupid question considering everyone on board was there for the match, he replied, “An international peace conference.” On another day he may well have sent back home before take-off, but not this time.

SOCCER: There was little to enthuse about as the under-21s lost out to Israel by 3-1 to end their European qualification hopes on Friday. Aiden McGeady looked good in patches while Liverpool’s energetic midfielder Darren Potter was probably the most consistent Irish player on view. With 13 first team players now injured or suspended at Anfield, including central midfielder Didi Hamann, this Steven Gerrard clone could well make his first Premiership start against Bolton on Saturday.

HERO OF THE WEEK: Shay Given was watched by the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and manager Jose Mourinho in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, and they can only hope that the Newcastle stopper doesn’t join Arsenal instead of Chelsea in the summer. Given’s first half save from an Afek free kick was world class, and he could do little about the equalizer thanks to some terrible defending in front of him.

IDIOTS OF THE WEEK: Brian Kerr urged caution late on against Israel but the Irish players on the pitch have to take a share of the blame for that woeful late goal. Why did no one close Suan down as he shot through a sea of legs past the unsighted Shay Given? And how much damage did that failure to defend do to Ireland’s World Cup chances? I fear the answer to that one.