The winners

Caoimhín Kelleher

Granted, he didn’t need to produce a spectacular performance as Belgium seldom threatened at the Aviva on Saturday.

But the fact that Kelleher was selected to start the game felt like a big win for the Cork native.

He has had to play second fiddle to Gavin Bazunu for a couple of years now but it feels as if the two stoppers are closer than ever in terms of status. 

With Alisson injured, Kelleher has excelled at Liverpool and the confidence gained from that run has translated to his international form, as he looked calm and assured throughout the 90 minutes at the weekend.

Adam Idah

Such has been the intensity of the excitement surrounding Evan Ferguson’s rise that Adam Idah seems to have been forgotten about and underappreciated of late.

However, he was introduced off the bench in both these friendlies and against the Swiss in particular, he was Ireland’s biggest threat, despite having less than 45 minutes to impress.

If the 23-year-old can continue to impress on loan at Celtic, he will surely be pushing for a starting spot the next time the Irish team meet up for an international window.

Will Smallbone

John O’Shea’s 3-4-3/4-5-1 system was not an easy fit for every Irish player.

Josh Cullen was the only natural holding midfielder picked in the original squad, so it meant two players with more attacking instincts would have to slot in alongside him.

Will Smallbone occupied this position for the Belgium game and Jason Knight undertook the role against Switzerland.

Of the two, Smallbone gave the more convincing audition and his introduction for Knight helped Ireland deliver an improved performance in the second half.

If Ireland do choose to stick with O’Shea and his system, then the Southampton star looks the more viable long-term bet at the base of midfield.

The losers

Gavin Bazunu

It would be unwise to read too much into two standalone friendlies in March. However, it’s hard to escape the impression that Bazunu’s grasp on the Ireland number one jersey has loosened at the very least.

Kelleher was preferred to the Saints star in the match against Belgium and while the Dubliner was given a chance to impress against the Swiss, his performance was less than convincing.

While neither goalkeeper faced a torrent of opposition attacks, Bazunu’s sporadic nervousness contrasted with Kelleher’s constant composure.

The former Shamrock Rovers player’s distribution was off at times, notably when he played it straight to Granit Xhaka, with the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder then hitting the post with a long-range shot.

The 22-year-old could have done better for Xherdan Shaqiri’s winning goal and will be disappointed at being beaten at his near post.

Of course, it’s easy to imagine a situation where Bazunu is playing regularly in the Premier League next season and Kelleher is again warming the bench, so while the outlook appears positive for the Liverpool man, that is liable to change.

Evan Ferguson

After a phenomenal start to the season, there is no doubt that Ferguson is experiencing a rough patch currently, as he looked short on confidence during both matches in this international window.

His goal drought has extended to 22 games, with his missed penalty on Saturday summing up a luckless few months.

He moved deeper in the second half against the Swiss and was overshadowed by the impressive Adam Idah.

Yet the Celtic loanee has experienced some difficult times himself in his short career and is four years older than Ferguson.

Few 19-year-old Premier League stars ever experience an uncomplicated rise to the top, so the Meath native’s slump should not be seen as a serious cause for alarm, as he will surely start showing his class again eventually.

Matt Doherty

Matt Doherty played 32 times under Stephen Kenny. No footballer was used more frequently for Ireland during this period.

And yet the Dubliner started both these John O’Shea-managed friendlies on the bench, albeit he was eventually introduced.

Doherty is 32 but still younger than both players who started ahead of him — Seamus Coleman (35) and Robbie Brady, albeit he was only born two days after the Preston star.

Yet when it comes to pace and physicality, the ex-Bohemians player is undoubtedly most suited to playing the wing-back system O’Shea favours.

Granted, Doherty has been used mainly as an impact sub in the Premier League since re-joining Wolves — he made just one Premier League start in the first half of the season and has made four more in the top flight since the turn of the year. However, Coleman and Brady have also been used sparingly at club level.

Yet there has been a noticeable extra emphasis on defence and keeping clean sheets since O’Shea’s stint began — perhaps this department is where the coaching staff’s reservations about Doherty primarily exist.