Sunderland 0 : Republic of Ireland XI 3; THE FANS responded magnificently for Niall Quinn's charity match at the Stadium of Light last night - a crowd of 35,702 raising over £700,000 for new children's hospital wards in Sunderland and Dublin.

But while the carnival atmosphere was first class off the pitch, the entertainment on it left a lot to be desired as Sunderland failed to match a side bound for the World Cup and clearly keenly focussed on the task ahead in the Far East.

Quinn started the game for Sunderland, who included triallist Richard Knopper - a 24-year-old midfielder from Ajax - and the Wearsiders found themselves a goal down after three minutes when Ireland scored through Wolves' Mark Kennedy in their first attack.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given took some stick from the crowd when he went down at the feet of Quinn, but the big Dubliner was not receiving any favours from his fellow countrymen, who looked to be taking the game very seriously.

Ireland almost had a second goal after 16 minutes when playmaker Lee Carsley fired just wide and in the next attack the Everton man was body-checked by Brazilian defender Emerson Thome, playing his first senior game for over four months.

Quinn was replaced by former England man Kevin Phillips in the 23rd minute, when Player of the Season Jody Craddock took over from Joachim Bjorklund.

Ireland - tidy and inventive - dominated the game and deservedly increased their lead on 33 minutes; David Connolly scoring directly from a 20-yard free-kick.

Sunderland's first shot at goal arrived in the 37th minute when Knopper lifted a 25 yarder high into the crowd, but there was a cheer in the 40th minute when a better attempt by Phillips was plucked out of the air by Given.

Ireland made ten changes after the break, including Quinn for 14 minutes, while Sunderland brought on three new men, with £3.5m Argentinian Nicolas Medina replacing Phillips.

Sadly Sunderland's performance did not improved much at all and the crowd kept itself amused with an enthusiastic series of Mexican Waves - and a rendition of "Niall Quinn's Disco Pants".

Kevin Kilbane rubbed salt in Sunderland's wounds by heading Ireland's third goal on 80 minutes

Goals: Kennedy (3 mins, 0-1); Connolly (33, 0-2); Kilbane (80 mins, 0-3).

Sunderland: Macho (Ingham 46 mins); Williams (James 63 mins), Bjorklund (Craddock 23 mins, Clark 63 mins), Thome (Varga 56 mins), Gray; Bellion, Thirlwell, McCann, Arca (McCartney 46 mins); Quinn (Phillips 23 mins, Medina 46 mins), Knopper.

Republic of Ireland: Given (Kiely 46 mins), Finnan (Kelly 46 mins) , Staunton (Harte 46 mins), Cunningham (O'Brien 46mins), Breen (Dunne 46 mins), Carsley (Holland 46 mins), Kennedy (Carsley 84 mins), Kinsella (McAteer 46 mins), Morrison (Quinn 46 mins, Kilbane 59 mins, Connolly 84 mins), Connolly (Keane 46 mins), Kilbane (Duff 46 mins).

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