Its been six and a half hours of game time since Ireland last scored a goal in a competitive game - that would be Shane Duffy's headed effort in Bulgaria.
This game with Wales was marked for disaster from the start when news trickled down that Stephen Kenny was going to be without several players after a positive covid test in the playing group ruled out five players (One positive and four close contacts) for selection.
He was already without McGoldrick and McCarthy through injury as well as Connolly and Idah still embroiled in the covid issues from earlier this week.
In Slovakia, a non footballing member of staff tested positive - Connolly and Idah were deemed close contacts and subsequently had to self isolate, making them unavailable. The Irony or irony's came out this morning when it turned out that the positive test earlier this week was actually a false positive and the affected players would have been fine to play.
If you haven't been keeping count, that makes it nine players who would have been available on the plane to Slovakia, who couldn't be called upon for todays clash with Wales.
Another problem has raised it head with the sending off of James McClean for a rash challenge on Ethan Ampadu means he will not be available for the game in Helsinki on Wednesday - in what is an already thinly spread squad, McClean's absence will be clear and obvious.
The reassuring thing that needs to be pointed out is that Cappoquin's Jayson Molumby had a real impact across the park. His passing was crisp and consistent, albeit leading to little in terms of scoring chances. Having been out on loan at Milwall last season, its now time to cross fingers that he will get decent game time for his actual club in Brighton.
Many will call for the introduction of Jack Byrne into the squad having seen the game play out in Dublin. His creativity and incisive passing could be the missing factor in bulging the back of the net for the first time in a long time. Having been named in both squads for the last two games and not getting any game time, in games when five subs are allowed, the Shamrock Rovers player is surely pondering what it is he needs to do to impress the League Of Ireland product Kenny.
Its probably a week in Irish soccer that is best forgotten. All in all, there's reassuring signs of improvement in the play style, but improvements must turn into goals if we are to progress through knockout games where goalless draws will not suffice. Patience is needed for the immediate future, its just the fourth game that Kenny has had with the side and two of those games were blighted by unexpected issues out of his control.
