Republic of Ireland bounced back from Friday's defeat against Mexico with a comfortable friendly win over Uruguay.
Jonathan Walters' 27th minute strike gave Martin O'Neill's men the lead, before Jose Gimenez's header put the visitors back on level terms at the Aviva Stadium.
However, second-half strikes from Cyrus Christie and substitute James McLean ensured that Ireland go into next Sunday's World Cup qualifier with Austria with a win.
Relive all the action from Dublin with Sports Mole's text commentary.
Good evening and welcome to our live commentary as Republic of Ireland build-up to their latest round of World Cup qualifiers. Tonight, they face tough opposition in the form of Uruguay.
Ireland will hoping for better fortunes this evening at the Aviva Stadium following a 3-1 defeat against Mexico in New Jersey on Friday. Martin O'Neill is expected to ring the changes this evening as his team prepares for a qualifier against Austria.
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Uruguay are ranked once place above Mexico in the FIFA rankings and are currently third in the South American qualifying stages for Russia 2018, although they have lost their last three qualifiers. They will be without star striker Luis Suarez, but are expected to pose a potent threat in Dublin.
As kickoff edges closer, let's bring you all the team news from the Aviva Stadium.
REP IRELAND XI: Randolph, Christie, Long, Duffy, Ward, Hendrick, Whelan, Arter, Hayes, Walters, Brady
URUGUAY: Conde, Pereira, Coates, Caceres, Gimenez, Arvelo Rios, Sanchez, Vecino, Laxalt, Urreta, Cavani
Well, as the teams are in the tunnel. A quick mention for Kevin Long, who earns a first start in defence for the Boys in Green. Jonathan Walters and Robbie Brady lead the line for an Ireland side who are arguably down to their bare bones.
As for Uruguay, there may be no Suarez in attack, but they do have Edinson Cavani up front and experience in the back line with Sebastian Coates and Martin Caceres in what we expect to be a 3-5-2 formation.
The anthems have been sung at the Aviva and we are only moments away from the start in Dublin. A big night for Ireland ahead. Can they get a big result against the visitors, who start as favourites with the bookies? We should find out in the next couple of hours.
KICKOFF: We are underway in Dublin.
The hosts are getting plenty of ball in the first minutes as they try to settle into their task. Waiting for the first goalmouth action!
FOUL! Brady is late with his challenge of Laxalt. He acknowledges his mistake and Uruguay have an early free kick near the halfway line, which is ultimately given away.
Christie tries to ignite a move for Ireland and finds Brady, but loses his balance and concedes a throw away.
Cavani fouls Whelan in area where Brady could pump in a dangerous free kick. He has two cracks at getting a decent delivery in, but to no avail.
The hosts have not been in great form of late. In addition to the defeat against Mexico, they suffered a defeat against Iceland in the last round of competitive fixtures. Still awaiting the first attempt at goal.
SHOT! Hendrick tries his luck from distance. He does like an effort from long range. However, despite being teed up by Walters, the effort is off target.
I think we have seen the last of Cavani for today. He is walking off gingerly. Christian Stuani is being readied.
CHANCES: Well, two chances within the space of a minute. Firstly, Brady takes aim and sees his strike turned behind by Conde. Then Duffy goes close from a few yards out, but fails to connect with a cross from the right-hand side.
URUGUAY SUB: As we mentioned, that is Cavani last action today. Stuani is on the pitch in his place.
SHOT! I say shot! Vecino took aim from around 35 yards out and missed with plenty to spare. Speculative to say the least!
CHANCE: Stuani is stright into the thick of the action with a close-range shot, which is saved by Randolph. Uruguay are starting to find their rhythm.
A crunching tackle by Gimenez on Hayes goes unpunished. Hayes is limping away. Christie then earns a free kick on the opposite flank after being eased by Caceres. Chance for Ireland here!
That free kick goes to waste as Brady's delivery is comfortably collected by Conde. It's fair to say that Ireland are putting plenty of effort in, but execution in the final third has lacked somewhat.
Vecino looks to have too much for the Irish defence. He gets away from Ward and tries to find Sanchez, only for his pass to go wayward. The midfielder looks dangerous!
CHANCE: Uruguay's best moment of this first half so far. Urreta passes to his left for the onrushing Laxalt. He shoots at goal and leans back as the ball goes over Randolph's ball. A big chance missed by the visitors.
GOAL! Rep Ireland 1-0 Uruguay (Jonathan Walters)
Well, with Ireland's second shot on target, they take the lead and what a goal it was. Whelan and Walters have a brief mix-up on the edge of the box, but Walters takes and, after shifting the ball onto his right foot. After that, the Stoke forward unleashes a fierce shot that leaves Conde well beaten. Great reward for a solid opening half-hour from the hosts.
Uruguay win a free kick in a dangerous position. Stuani was nudged off the ball by Ward and he can have to complaints.
CLOSE: Uruguay hit the woodwork from a corner after Caceres leaped highest to meet Urreta's corner. The former Barca and Juventus defender was unlucky not to find an equaliser.
Duffy is on the ground. He has been battling with a metatarsal injury in recent weeks. Hopefully, it's just a knock for the ex-Everton man.
FOUL: Another free kick for Uruguay in a dangerous area. Whelan fouls Sanchez and Ireland are potentially playing with fire as they continue give away set pieces around their own area.
GOAL! Rep Ireland 1-1 Uruguay (Jose Gimenez)
I did day that Ireland were playing with fire and it proved to be so. Randolph comes for Sanchez's free kick and fails to get there and Gimenez guides his header into the net.
Arter is the latest of the walking wounded after appearing to turn his ankle after passing. He looks alright to carry on, but McGeady is warming up on the sidelines.
CHANCE: What a miss by Walters from only two yards out. Brady delivers a perfect cross for the Stoke frontman and he can't keep his shot down.
Two minutes of added time to be played.
CLOSE: Walters tries to make amends for his previous miss, but Brady's delivery is not turned goalwards.
HALF TIME: Rep Ireland 1-1 Uruguay
That was an intriguing first half and Ireland should perhaps be ahead, but a series of fouls continued to give Uruguay the chance to get back in the game and, thanks to Gimenez's header, they are level.
STATS: The home side are having slightly more possession (57%) than their South American opponents and have had six shots at goal, compared to Uruguay's five. What is noticable is that Ireland have attempted almost twice as many crosses as Uruguay - 37 so far.
BENCH WATCH: We mentioned that McGeady was warming up earlier after Arter appeared to pick up a knock. Should the former Everton winger come on, he will earn his 89th cap and overtake Tony Cascarino on Ireland's all-time list of appearances. Uruguay still have Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan to call upon if they are looking for second-half goals.
UPDATE: As we wait for the start of the second half, a quick update from Rotterdam, where the Netherlands, under the guidance of Dick Advocaat, are winning 1-0 against the Ivory Coast. Joel Veltman scored the opening goal at the De Kuip.
KICKOFF: The second half is underway in Dublin.
IRELAND SUB: The hosts have made a half-time change with Hoolahan replacing Whelan in midfield.
In the same vein as the first half, it's been a somewhat scrappy start to the second period, but Ireland are trying to settle the stronger.
GOAL! Rep Ireland 2-1 Uruguay (Cyrus Christie)
I'm not sure if Christie means this as it looks more like a failed cross than a shot, but it comes off as his effort rolls into the bottom right corner of the net. Coates could have done more to keep that effort out.
SHOT: Vecino unleashes a fizzing shot on target, which Randolph manages to spill. Fortunately for Martin O'Neill's men, there are Uruguayan shirts in close attention to take advantage.
Looking at the replay. Coates really should do more to stop that goal. It could even go down as an own-goal against the former Liverpool defender.
Pereira concedes a corner, but Arter's delivery evades everyone. I think we will see a few couple of changes imminently.
IRELAND SUBS: A trio of subs for the hosts as Murphy, Pearce and McGeady are introduced. Off come Hayes, Duffy and Walters.
URUGUAY SUB: Ricca is on for his debut, in place of Pereira. I think he will drop in at left-back and Caceres will switch flanks.
FOUL! Murphy seemed to have far too much pace for Gimenez, who pulls back the forward and then protests his innocence rather brazenly. Ireland duly waste the set piece and the visitors survive.
CLOSE: Stuani puts the ball in the back of the net, but is flagged for offside. That looked closer on the replay than I first thought.
YELLOW CARD: A rare booking in a friendly after a bad foul by Hendrick on Urreta. He can't argue with that.
SAVE: Randolph pulls off a great diving stop to keep Gimenez's well-placed header out of the net. Meanwhile, Hendrick is down, which is worrying for Ireland.
Hendrick is back in the action, which will a relief for the Irish with Austria clash only a week away.
CHANCES: Well, Ricca twice comes close to scoring on his debut. Firstly, he gets onto Urreta's cross and heads wide. He then latches onto Silva's pass, but his effort is comfortably saved by Randolph.
IRELAND SUB: Hendrick is coming off. Clearly, O'Neill is not looking to take chances ahead of next weekend's qualifier. James McLean is on in his place.
GOAL! Rep Ireland 3-1 Uruguay (James McLean)
That surely puts the result beyond doubt! A sloppy bit of work by Uruguay in midfield allows Murphy to slip a slide-rule pass into a McLean's path. The former Sunderland man shows a clean pair of heels to the visitors defence before slotting into the bottom right corner.
What a tackle from Gimenez. Hoolahan's pass puts McLean in a dangerous position again and as he looks to score a second goal, the Atletico Madrid defender produces a stunning sliding challenge to deny the West Brom winger.
SHOT: Silva tries a shot from the edge of the box after being teed up by Gonzalez. However, his pot shot is well off target.
SHOT: Another shot from distance from Uruguay, which comes to nothing. This time it's Vecino from more than 30 yards out, but Randolph is not troubled at all.
Two minutes of added time left in Dublin.
A hand ball by Stuani, which sums up his evening. The Boro forward has been quiet to say the least!
FULL TIME: Republic of Ireland 3-1 Uruguay
Well, that is more like it from Ireland. After the poor performance against Mexico, that was the perfect way to bounce back ahead of the visit of Austria next week. Sports Mole will bring you coverage of next week's World Cup qualifiers, including next Sunday's crunch game at the Aviva Stadium. Until then, it's good night from me.
Written by
Chris O'Keefe
Chris O'Keefe
