Managers' reaction: Brian Kerr must have wondered how to pitch things to the easily-distracted media. We came for yellow jerseys and fiestas and to see goalies getting lumbago picking footballs out of onion sacks. Old fashioned stuff.

In those terms the evening was a little flat but for Kerr it was a decent day at the office.

Any day you hold Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka scoreless is a good day.

He came to the bandroom dapper and besuited as usual and allowed himself a little grin.

Happy?

"I think so. We had a lot of changes in the team. Bit of experimentation. Lot of young players out there. O'Shea, Reid.

"I think it was a good disciplined performance. We passed the ball well, but not as well as we'd like to.

"They (Brazil) work hard, they put you under presure. They aren't just flash. We had five or six distinct chances. So had they.

"Ronaldo was in, Kenny got a good challenge in. Shay made a couple of near post saves. We did well."

It was one of those nights that Kerr enjoys.

A night for technicians and men who understand the game. It would have been easy to turn it all into a Nike ad but unsatisfactory.

"I think their manager said they don't do friendlies. We were just agreeing.

"It was never going to be palsy walsy out there and us standing back watching them do tricks. We had to get in among them. That's the way we play. That's what they expected of us."

Andy O'Brien who has sat on the sideline like a waterbottle through so many Irish fixtures in recent years got the chance to show why he plays in the Premiership and beyond with such apparent ease. For years he has carried around an invisible question mark over his head. He's good but . . .

Last night he was fine and he was calm and he made Ronaldo look a little overrated. A decent turn in the limelight.

"The unit of the back four were on their toes against such great players.

"I thought the unit of the defenders and the cover from midfield was effective.

"Andy who hasn't too many chances did well. They had quality players coming at us through the middle and out wide. We did our job."

Elsewhere for the future there were moments to admire in the confident performance of Andy Reid, and Clinton Morrisson set out his stall with his best performance in an Irish jersey.

Kerr was pleased with what he saw.

"It's too early to evaluate it all. We've played some newish players compared to the last qualification. Graham, Andy, O'Shea, Clinton. They've had involvement.

"That's positive. We have a long way to go before September and October."

And when that time comes around and the French are the opposition, would he be happy with the number of chances we created last night?

"Well I'd hope we'd score them if we got them.

"We had half a dozen chances. The set pieces. We got a few corners. John O'Shea nearly scored off one. Graham had a few efforts. I wasn't disappointed.

"We could have done better but you don't get much time. They looked threatening after our set pieces. They broke quickly."

And the performance of Clinton Morrison? His best so far? Enough to elbow his way into future plans? Perhaps.

"I think he held the ball up well for us. When we got it sorted. The service wasn't great in the first 20 minutes.

"After that we gave Robbie and Clinton a chance to get hold of it and get the midfield into the game.

"Clinton did that well and supplied Robbie well. Robbie had a great chance off one cross. He doesn't get that many headed goals. The cross was as we used to say put onto his miraculous medal.

"The two front fellas worked very hard as a pair. I was pleased."

It was one of those rare modern affairs, a friendly that didn't involve over 30 different players shuttling in and out from the sideline in such numbers as to make the whole thing meaningless.

For that there was much thanks. The side of the manager that is still a fan understood.

"We basically stuck with the formation tonight. As I said we've used a fair few subs in the last friendlies.

"I didn't see any necessity with people in control and disciplined in their positions. The front players were working hard, the front players were making things happen. They are a class act. We did well."

Carlos Alberto Parreira, the Brazilian manager came to the bandroom, and was immediately lynched by Brazilian journalists. Our lads have it soft by comparison.

"Both teams denied space to the other one. We settled much better in the second half.

"We were losing the ball so easily and early in the midfield. We kept the ball and had a little control.

"Although it was zero zero it was exciting. Intentionally I didn't change our team. We will have no more preparation before Paraguay."