UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Republic of Ireland 3 Netherlands 0:Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Noel King praised his team's quality after they put three goals past the Netherlands without reply at Tallaght Stadium yesterday.

King dished out 12 debuts at this level and his rookies looked the part against a Dutch outfit savvy in possession but lacking Ireland's clinical edge.

This resounding victory, kick-started by Aiden O'Brien's first-half brace and completed by an Anthony Forde penalty, after he was taken down in the box by full back Mike Te Wierik, followed up Ireland's 4-2 thumping of Italy in Casarano last time out in September.

He said: "Beating a Dutch side is always a tough task but to do so in that fashion is a great credit to the lads.We've a tough qualifying group alongside Germany but there's no reason for us to be fearful."

REP OF IRELAND: A McCarey (Wolves); M Doherty (Wolves), S Duffy (Everton), D Williams (Aston Villa), S McGinty (Manchester United); C Reilly (Birmingham City), K Ferdinand (Peterborough Utd), S Carruthers (Aston Villa); S Murray (Watford), A O'Brien (Millwall), A Forde (Wolves). Subs: J O'Sullivan (Blackburn Rovers) for Ferdinand (35 mins), S McDermott (Sandnes Ulf) for McCarey, F Sutherland (Portsmouth) for Carruthers, A O'Connor (Burton Albion) for Williams, C McHugh (Bradford City) for McGinty, J Shaughnessy (Aberdeen) for Doherty (all 46 mins), C Forrester (St Patrick's Athletic) for O'Brien (52 mins), C Bolger (Bolton Wanderers) for (64 mins).

NETHERLANDS: Van Der Lei (Verhulst 46 mins); Te Wierik(Veltman 46 mins), Van De Pavert (Denswil 46 mins), Bakker (Van Ooijen 46 mins); Jansen, Drost (Foor 46 mins), Ziyech; Slagveer (Lukoki 46 mins), Schalk (Valpoort 46 mins), Elbers.

Referee: M Smyth (Northern Ireland).