Long hot summer awaits

Republic of Ireland 1 Estonia 1(Ireland win 5-1 on aggregate):The countdown to next summer's Euro 2012 finals starts now. Any nagging doubts simmering beneath the surface that Estonia might somehow throw a spanner in the works were swept aside as the Aviva went into party mode.

Konstantin Vassiljev’s second half strike for the visitors may have hushed the 51,000 in Dublin 4 temporarily, but it was to prove a mere bagatelle for Giovanni Trapattoni’s side. Attention will now turn to December 2nd, when the draw will reveal our opponents in Poland and Ukraine, but last night was all about celebrating a return to the big time.

If there were any big night nerves among the home side, Damien Duff did his best to calm them right from the kick-off. The winger, a bundle of energy on the left flank, was well off target with his effort within 90 seconds but the intent was clear.

Robbie Keane went a whole lot closer minutes later, missing two opportunities the record scorer would normally tuck away in his sleep. First, with Taavi Rahan dallying, Keane nipped in behind the Estonian centre-half but was hustled out of it by goalkeeper Pavel Londak stubbornly refusing to drop.

The LA Galaxy striker appealed for a penalty but Londak had got enough of the ball to avoid falling foul of Dutch official Bjorn Kuipers.

Keane’s next effort wasn’t one for the show reel, the Dubliner somehow contriving to skew his effort wide from all of four yards after Londak failed to deal with Duff’s free-kick.

For their part, Estonia scarcely looked like troubling Shay Given in the opening . Instead of playing with the freedom of a side with nothing to lose, the visitors looked jittery, knocking aimless balls forward and generally wasting what little possession came their way.

That their only shot of the opening quarter – a speculative long-range effort from Vladimir Voskoboinikov – didn’t even trouble the corner flag spoke volumes of Tarmo Ruutli side’s lack of ambition.

Taavi Rahan was lucky to escape with just a yellow card when he lost patience and cut down Duff as the Fulham man continued to cause problems down the left and the Estonian cause wasn’t helped by the loss of Dmitri Kruglov. The fullback, who had managed to contain Stephen Hunt on the right, limped from the action after just 18 minutes to be replaced by Sander Puri.

Yet having weathered the early storm Estonia started to get a foothold in the match, with dangerman Konstantin Vassiljev seeing more of the ball but Kaimar Saag’s attempt to curry favour with Kuipers, going down under a soft challenge in the box, was waved away.

Just as Estonia started to knock at the Irish door, Ward slammed it firmly shut. The fullback, raiding down the right with Duff, forced a corner on 31 minutes and from the resulting set piece turned the volume up right back up with his second international goal.

Duff’s corner was well delivered, allowing Kevin Doyle to get ahead of his marker and angle his header goalwards. Londak could only parry the effort and Ward, a former striker, coolly tucked the rebound away to spark wild celebrations.

Keane could have doubled the lead just before the interval, again firing wide after a smart exchange with Doyle, but in mitigation the striker was nudged off balance by Rahan’s challenge.

Ireland eased up after the break, and Estonia sensed an opportunity to restore a little of the pride that had took such a battering in Tallinn last week. Vassiljev was again proving their main threat, as he had been on Friday, and after Ward had forced a save from Londak the midfielder silenced the home crowd.

Given won’t look back on his attempted save with any fondness, for while Vassiljev’s powerful effort from fully 30 yards had plenty of dip it was straight down the keeper’s throat. Given managed to get a hand to it, but could not prevent the ball from flying into his net.

Stephen Hunt and Robbie Keane made way shortly afterwards with Aiden McGeady and Simon Cox providing some added impetus up front. Martin Vunk was booked for a cynical pull on Duff’s arm as he surged towards the penalty area with 62 minutes gone.

Keith Andrews tapped the resulting free-kick to Duff and then clipped the ball into the penalty area for Dunne to head firmly, but straight at Londak. Saag then went close at the other end, but could only fire over after enjoying a clear sight of goal, while McGeady proved a thorn in the side after his introduction.

That Ireland were unable to find a winner mattered little to the home fans, with the side cheered to the echo on an extended lap of honour. Twenty-four years after last gracing a European championships, the green army are back on the march.

Roll on Polkraine.

Republic of Ireland:Given (Aston Villa); O'Shea (Sunderland), Dunne (Aston Villa), St Ledger (Leicester City), Ward (Wolves); Duff (Chelsea), Andrews (Ipswich Town), Whelan (Stoke City), Hunt (Wolves); Keane (LA Galaxy), Doyle (Wolves). Subs:McGeady (Spartak Moscow) for Hunt (59 mins), Cox (West Brom) for Keane (68 mins), Fahey (Birmingham City) for Duff (79 mins).

Estonia:Londak (Bobo Glimt); Jaager (Aalesunds), Rahn (Tianjin Songjiang), Klavan (AZ Alkmaar), Kruglov (Rostov); Teniste (Sogndal), Vassiljev (Amkar Perm), Vunk (Famagusta), Lindpere (New York Red Bulls); Saag (Silkborg), Voskoboinikov (Himki). Subs:Puri (Lombard-Pápa) for Kruglov (18 mins), Kink (Middlesbrough) for Lindpere (54 mins), Purje (Ethnikos Achna) for Voskoboinikov (73 mins).

Referee:Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands).