Giovanni Trapattoni chose to look to inexperience when attempting to explain how his side surrendered a 2-1 lead in the final moments of last night's World Cup qualifier with Austria at the Aviva Stadium.

“I think with a little bit of experience we could lose a little time in the corner in the free kick. Maybe the game could be finished,” Trapattoni said.

Ireland went behind on eleven minutes, as Ciaran Clark hesitated on the ball and surrendered possession to Zlatko Junozovic, who then squared the ball to Martin Harnik for a simple finish.

The response from Trapattoni’s men was positive, and within 15 minutes the game was level following a John Walters penalty, won by Shane Long. Trapattoni was pleased with his side’s reaction, and felt his players gave him what he asked for when they found themselves in a tough spot.

“Overall it was a good reaction after we conceded an easy goal. We were behind 1-0 after 15 minutes and we had a very, very great reaction.

“After 15 minutes to be under this situation, I think I ask the teams play with the same personality, the same enthusiasm, the same commitment.”

A second Walters goal, moments before the end of the first half, this time headed in from a corner kick, sent Ireland to the dressing rooms looking in control and on the road to 3 points.

The longer the second half went on, however, the more apparent it became that Ireland were unable to retain possession in any significant way, as Austria slowly came back into a game that for a significant period had seemed beyond their reach. The introduction of Paul Green, to replace the excellent Shane Long, was a head scratcher. Long had arguably been Ireland’s best player, retaining the ball and giving Austria pause for thought when committing men forward. The continued use of 4-4-2 after the substitution, with Green’s ability to stifle Austria’s stranglehold on the game marginalised on the right wing, was baffling. Trapattoni spoke about the problem of his side’s inability to control possession, after the game:

“Austria won in midfield, every situation.

“The problem was we lost the midfield in this moment. Because I needed to strengthen the midfield with another midfielder, because Sammon and Shane Long, they work too much and we couldn’t give the ball to support them.”

Wes Hoolahan again spent ninety minutes on the bench, while Conor Sammon toiled, but offered little more. Barring a couple of layoffs he was ineffective at retaining possession and, for all that his attitude cannot be questioned, there have to be real concerns (if there were not already) about his inclusion in any future starting eleven.

While Sammon's hard work made Shane Long’s job easier, and no doubt contributed to the West Brom man’s fine performance, it can’t be ignored that Sammon’s game is limited at this level. That he failed to once make himself a significant danger in front of goal, while ostensibly being Ireland’s target man, was merely the tip of the iceberg. The Derby County man has yet to show the positional sense, touch or quickness of thought required to justify his inclusion at the expense of players such as Kevin Doyle or Wes Hoolahan.

In the final half hour the need for a calming influence in the Irish midfield was glaring. Wes Hoolahan would have seemed the obvious choice. The former Shelbourne man has proved in both of his previous two substitute appearances for this team – against Poland in last month’s friendly and for fifteen minutes in Stockholm last Friday – that he has more willingness and ability to get on the ball and dictate play than any other Irish midfielder.

While James McCarthy again played well his influence waned in the final stages of the game. The introduction of Hoolahan was a much needed solution. The substitution of Long – and the removal of Ireland’s only real threat with which to keep Austria pinned back in semi-caution – served only to exasperate the problem.

As David Alaba smashed home his long range equaliser in stoppage time – deflected past David Forde off Sean St. Ledger – Trapattoni may have rued his side’s lack of guile and experience when trying to run down the clock. Most outsiders, however, will wonder if a different tactical approach, and more appropriate substitutions, could have made that situation entirely avoidable.

Republic of Ireland's David Forde watches David Alaba's shot hit the back of the net as Andreas Wiemann celebrates ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy