The Republic of Ireland are still on course for a place in the finals of Euro 2000 - but only just after a deeply disturbing display in the heat and humidity of the Ta'Qali Stadium last evening.

After going two goals down in the opening 20 minutes, Malta, without a win in the last 17 years, recovered to such effect that in the end they were distinctly unfortunate not to have salvaged at least a point after goals from defenders Brian Said and a penalty, converted with some conviction by David Carabott, had them level with 23 minutes remaining. Credit must go to the Irish players, however, for the manner in which they subsequently got back in front, but for much of the last 15 minutes the visiting defence was under intense pressure to preserve their slender advantage. Yugoslavia, 4-2 winners over Macedonia in their return game at Skopje yesterday, are still in pole position in Group Eight. Ahead is a potentially treacherous assignment for the leaders when they visit Zagreb for another tilt at Croatia on October 10th.

But to capitalise on any slip-up by the Yugoslavs, the Irish must dispose of Macedonia's challenge in Skopje on the same day. And on the evidence of what we saw last evening that is far from certain.

In the end, Ireland were rescued by a superbly struck free-kick by Steve Staunton in the 73rd minute and later by the athleticism of Alan Kelly in goal.

On no fewer than three occasions in the final quarter of an hour, the Blackburn goalkeeper read the line of the threat superbly to keep the Irish afloat. In Zagreb four days ago, Mick McCarthy's team were beaten by a late Davor Suker strike and history threatened to repeat itself when Carmel Busuttil, at 35 the oldest man on the pitch, lined up the shot from 25 yards.

The trajectory and the pace were both right, but Kelly hurled himself across his line to save at the expense of a corner. Reprieve was precious, but judged on this unbalanced display Ireland will not inspire a lot of confidence when they go to Macedonia. Ironically it was Staunton, who emerged as Ireland's saviour on the night. Skippering the team once more in the absence of Roy Keane, he produced a priceless goal-line clearance to avert disaster early in the second half.

And then, with everything pointing to an Irish collapse, he strolled into the breach to spare us that embarrassment.

Richard Buhagiar's foul on Niall Quinn, some 25 yards out, gave the Liverpool player a chance of curling one in at the near corner. And the execution was so precise that Ernest Barry in goal scarcely moved a muscle in defiance before the ball was nestling in the net.

That was Staunton's first goal since his strike against Portugal in 1995, yet it contrasted starkly with Ireland's puny scoring attempts after Robbie Keane and Gary Breen had struck twice in the space of seven minutes to give hope of an Irish romp. Away in the distance a spectacular fireworks display on this national holiday, celebrating a famous victory over Turkey in 1565, gave hint of an improbable performance by the Maltese part-timers. And right on queue they delivered. This was their seventh consecutive defeat by the Irish, but they at least had the satisfaction of scoring for the first time since the series was initiated in 1983.

Though Kelly and Staunton were the heroes in the green shirts, there was also the deep satisfaction of watching Robbie Keane score for the seventh time in as many games. A neat dummy and then a surge of pace to make contact with Quinn's pass was the prelude to the decisive shot from 12 yards, but subsequently the Coventry player drifted out of the game.

Coincidentally, it was his club mate Gary Breen who put his name on the second strike. On this occasion the opening was established by Staunton's cross from the left and the central defender glanced the ball into the corner of the net.

From that point, however, Ireland were in decline. Mark Kinsella, at last betraying the effects of his enormous output of energy over the last week, struggled to create anything and with the two wide players, Mark Kennedy and Kevin Kilbane, equally ineffective the visitors would scarcely create another chance of note until rescued by Staunton's expertise in dead-ball situations.

In an effort to inject extra verve into the side, McCarthy introduced Damien Duff and Alan McLoughlin in midfield in the second half but neither succeeded in wresting back the stranglehold which David Carabott and the indestructible Busuttil had established in this area.

Although Chucks Mwoko, their Nigerian striker occasionally spread panic in the Irish defence, it was in many ways appropriate that both Maltese goals should come from defenders. The first, from Brian Said in the 62nd minute, scarcely deserved to be described as a thing of beauty. Yet the end product was highly acceptable when, after having his first effort charged down, he judged the lob with meticulous precision to enable the ball to clear Kelly before dropping into the net.

Suddenly the Maltese were reborn. Tired limbs acquired new vitality and within another five minutes they were, incredibly, back on level terms. Nwoko, thrusting through the middle plunged the Irish defence into disarray. Romanian referee, Sorin Corpodean initially resisted claims for a penalty when he appeared to be impeded by Breen just inside the area, but from a Maltese viewpoint there was a more favourable response from the man in black when Cunningham risked the indiscreet tackle from the back.

This time, he pointed emphatically to the spot and Carabott, never less than impressive in a busy Maltese team, sent Kelly the wrong way.

From there on in the night air was heavy with the threat of imminent disaster, but fortunately for McCarthy, Kelly's agility was equal to all demands in those hair-raising final minutes. And with Staunton's goal salvation, three critically important points were secured.

Malta: Barry, Said, Chetcuti (Buhagiar 23), Carabott, Debono, Buttigieg (Vella 30), Busuttil, Saliba, Nwoko, Camilleri, Aguis (Theuma 67). Subs Not Used: Muscat, Spiteri, Okonkwo, Mifsud. Goals: Said 62, Carabott 69 pen.

Republic of Ireland: A. Kelly, Carr, Staunton, Breen (Harte 73), Cunningham, Carsley, Kilbane (Duff 65), Kinsella, Quinn, Keane, Kennedy (McLoughlin 55). Subs Not Used: Cascarino, Connolly, G. Kelly, Kiely. Goals: Keane 13, Breen 21, Staunton 74. At- tendance: 6,200.

Referee: S Capodban (Romania).