Emmet Malone

at Tolka Park

Seán McCaffrey's pre-tournament expression of confidence that his side could become the first from Ireland to qualify for an under-17 European Championships since 1998 - when the Republic won the title in Scotland - contained the reservations that the team would have to play to its potential and avoid defeat in this, its first game of the week.

Judging by events at Dalymount Park last night, with a first half strewn with unforced errors and a couple of lucky escapes for the Irish, there will be better to come from a side rated as the best of recent times.

On the second count, however, they exceeded requirements with four goals in 18 second-half minutes to instil much confidence ahead of tomorrow's potentially decisive meeting with Israel.

"It was a strange first half," observed McCaffrey. "It was as poorly as I've seen this side play, not through any lack of effort but there was simply no imagination about our game. Late on we were terrific, though, and if we can beat Israel we'll be in pole position."

The wet and windy conditions may have affected the Irish performance, but the home side eventually proved more adept at handling them - McCaffrey's side simply overran their opponents during the last quarter.

Until then Romania had looked the better side, with the visitors comfortably on top during a first period in which the Irish repeatedly surrendered possession and struggled to cope with the string of frees they conceded in dangerous areas around the area.

When they found their stride, however, they did so in style. Christy Fagan opened the scoring 20 minutes from time, before Graham Carey, after 70 minutes, Fagan again, after 74, and, as the home side began to look positively cocky, finally Donal McDermott two minutes from time, all put the ball past goalkeeper Cosmin Razvan Ciuna.

Given the Irish strikers had barely seen the ball in the first hour, it was a remarkable turnaround, and McCaffrey's decision to bring on Cillian Sheridan 19 minutes into the second half appeared to be the catalyst.

At the time, it seemed the Belvedere striker's height would provide an opportunity to capitalise on a breeze now firmly at their backs.

Within a minute of entering the game, though, the 17-year-old showed an ability both to beat players and to time a low cross, a combination that led to Ireland taking the lead through Fagan.

Nothing the Irish had done until then had troubled the Romanian defence, but when it mattered the visitors went to pieces, leaving the Manchester United player with just enough time and space to find the left corner from just outside the six-yard box.

Carey's was the product of a long-range shot the goalkeeper mishandled, while Fagan's second (a header) and McDermott's were the product of good approach work and playfully confident finishes.

In the day's other game, Israel beat Serbia and Montenegro 2-1 thanks to a last-minute penalty.

IRELAND: Redmond (Nottingham Forest); Callaghan (Millwall), Spillane (Norwich City), Donoghue (Sunderland), Fitzgerald (West Ham); Cahillane (Celtic), Daly (Manchester City), Carey (Celtic), McDermott (Manchester City); Lyons (Crystal Palace), Fagan (Manchester United). Subs: Arter (Charlton Athletic) for Daly (half-time), Sheridan (Belvedere) for Lyons (59 mins), Breen (Manchester City) for Cahillane (72 mins).

ROMANIA: Razvan Ciuna; Ferdin, Iacob, Dresca, Liviu Militaru; Calintaru, Ioan Feher, Balmos; Torje, Jianu, Razvan Ochirosii. Subs: Rivis for Razvan Ochirosii (50 mins), Silviu Alexe (73 mins).

Referee: V Aliyev (Azerbaijan).