IRELAND 4 CYPRUS 0: A composed second-half display blew Cyprus away as Brian Kerr's Under-17s moved top of the group at Richmond Park. Having been decidedly unconvincing both in defence and attack in the first half, two wonderful free-kicks put Ireland in the driving seat.
The first, five minutes after the restart, was courtesy of a little element of luck. A free-kick was awarded for a dubious foul on Karl Bermingham some 30 yards out. But there was no doubt about the strike from Richie Ryan, whose left-footed effort gave Georgios Kakoulis no chance as it flew into the roof of his net.
Irish captain Andy Cousins might have added a second goal minutes later but crashed a shot off the bar.
A second goal did arrive on 63 minutes, again from a terrific free-kick. William Flood won the free, again about 25 yards out, and picked himself up to drive home a right-foot shot.
Ryan and Flood combined for the third goal on 70 minutes; Flood floating the corner to the back post for Ryan to score with a looping header.
Substitute Michael Timlin rowed in with the fourth when crashing home to the roof of the net after some sloppy defending four minutes from time.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Murphy (Leeds United); O'Mahoney (Kingdom Boys), Deans (Stella Maris), McStay (Leeds United), Keyes (Leeds United); Flood (Manchester City), Cousins (Leeds United), Ryan (Sunderland), O'Brien (Newcastle United); Bermingham (Manchester City), Murphy (Manchester City). Subs: Corr (Leeds United) and Timlin (Fulham) for Flood and Bermingham (both 74).