Long on target in Bolivia draw

Republic Of Ireland 1 Bolivia 1:Steve Staunton's rookie Ireland squad ended its US Tour unbeaten after holding an experienced Bolivia side to a draw at Gillette Stadium.

Shane Long grabbed his first international goal to hand the Irish the lead in the 13th minute before Bolivia replied a minute later through Miguel Hoyos.

Manager Steve Staunton made seven changes from the side which started against Ecuador in New York in midweek.

Joe Gamble and Joseph O'Cearuill were given starting roles while Peter Murphy earned his first cap alongside Bennett.

Ireland had the first chance in the fifth minute when Reading's Long found Anthony Stokes on the right side of the box. The Sunderland player chipped advancing goalkeeper Hugo Suarez but cleared the crossbar.

Long then latched onto a Murphy long ball out of defence and shook off a challenge from defender Limbert Mendez before slotting a side-footed shot through Suarez's legs, only to see the ball catch the goalkeeper's trailing heel and deflect away for a corner.

Long was not to be denied a first international goal, however, as Ireland took the lead in the 12th minute.

Alan O'Brien's cross from the left found the Reading man unmarked and free to guide a header across Suarez.

Ireland's lead was short-lived, however.

Jaime Moreno fed Juan Carlos Arce inside the box and his shot was pushed by Nick Colgan onto a post.

A goalmouth scramble ensued before the ball found Miguel Hoyos who fired past Colgan for an equaliser.

Stokes then had a shot at the back post blocked by Suarez in the 25th minute before Bennett saved the Irish three minutes later with a block to deny Arce.

Four minutes before the break, O'Brien again caused panic when Mendez's attempted clearance of his cross looped towards goal leaving a scrambling Suarez to punch off his line as Long bore down on him.

Staunton made three changes at half-time, introducing Daryl Murphy to the attack with Stokes dropping into midfield in place of the departing Gamble.

Also on was Stephen O'Halloran for Peter Murphy and Colgan was replaced by Wayne Henderson. Long made way for Reading team-mate Kevin Doyle eight minutes into the half.

Bolivia nearly took the lead soon after, but Henderson did well to stop sub Diego Cabrera's shot. Cabrera found space again on the left with the next attack and his cross found Arce whose right-foot shot hit the post from a narrow angle.

Stokes was still making his presence felt from midfield and in the 58th minute sent in a rising right-foot drive from 25 yards that Suarez did well to reach and push round his post at full stretch.

Stephen Hunt came on for skipper Kilbane in the 67th minute and his curling free-kick five minutes later reached the back post but bounced low under the boot of the incoming Murphy.

It was Ireland's turn again to defend and O'Halloran did well to clear off the line after Henderson parried a free-kick from the left.

Murphy did well to work past two defenders on the byline with 10 minutes to go but failed to get his shot away, then tried again a minute later only to shoot at Suarez.

Staunton's final act before leaving the ground immediately on full-time for an early flight home was to hand a debut to Wolves defender Stephen Gleeson, who became the 13th new cap of this tour.