A game which started out as a mundane friendly developed much of the passion of a competitive tie as the Republic of Ireland, aided by some elementary gaffes by the opposition, salvaged a dramatic win at Lansdowne Road last evening.
Only four minutes remained when a Czech defence, as brittle as porcelain, was undone in moments of vintage artistry by Robbie Keane. Steve Staunton's pacey corner was headed on by Ian Harte, and before goalkeeper Ladiflav Maier could react Robbie Keane was in to hook the ball into the net.
It was Keane's sixth goal in 14 Ireland games, and in those moments of blurred speed was identified the talent which has already established him as one of the most gifted of all Irish forwards. Davy Walsh, a patriarchal name of the past, can only have admired the skill as he watched with other survivors from Ireland's post-war teams.
It has to be said that this was the only authentic strike in Ireland's tally; the others came from an own goal and a mistake so basic that it would have invoked the anger of a manager in charge of a junior team.
And yet Mick McCarthy will savour it as a significant start to his build-up to the world cup qualifiers in the autumn. True, the rate of error by both teams was at times astonishingly high; yet through it all ran a thread of excitement which established this as one of the better non-competitive games at the venue in recent years.
Ireland, a goal down within four minutes of the kick-off, twice came from behind to prevent the Czechs from embellishing a record currently excelled by only Brazil. Mind you, that grandiose rating was at times little more than a joke as some of the most experienced players in European football were guilty of some shocking mistakes.
It should not disguise the merit of a good Irish display, however, by a team which probably contained as many as eight of those McCarthy will send into action in the opening World Cup Game against Holland in September.
One of the areas under scrutiny was centre back, and it was not without significance that Paul Butler, the Sunderland player, making his Ireland debut at the age of 28, was replaced by Phil Babb at half-time.
Another possible problem for the Ireland manager, the one occasioned by the departure of Denis Irwin, was served so conclusively that it may not now be an issue in the months preceding the Dutch game.
Gary Kelly, preferred to Steve Carr in what can only have been a close decision at right back, took his chance so well that he went close to rivalling Robbie Keane for the man-of-the-match award.
The question of who fills the right-sided midfield position occupied for so long by Ray Houghton is still unanswered. At different times last evening, McCarthy deployed Mark Kennedy and Jason McAteer in the position, but at this point the jury is still out.
No such doubts attached to either the central midfield partnership of Roy Keane and Mark Kinsella, which turned the screw on the Czechs in the second half, or to the little and large combination of Niall Quinn and Robbie Keane up front. Quinn, forced to take an inordinate amount of punishment in his dual with another heavyweight, Kavel Rada, still contrived to win most of the aerial possession to feed his partner's predatory instincts.
The Czechs, big and at times overly physical, impressed by their pace and sleight of foot in their better moments. But it is inconceivable that they can go to the finals of the European championship in the summer with a defence of such doubtful character.
At times players like Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer were breathtaking in their skill, but overall it was the 6 ft 7 in frame of Jan Koller in the cockpit of their attack which caused the Irish most of their problems.
On an evening when the Irish defenders went into the game in the sombre knowledge that any error carried a high risk label, they were in deep trouble after just four minutes.
Accusing fingers were everywhere as Petr Gabriel's shot took a deflection in a crowded goal-mouth and Koller somehow found the space to score from no more than a couple of yards.
That goal, received in stony silence by the 30,000 crowd, was the prelude to still more uncertainty in the home defence as Koller twice ran close to embarrassing them still further.
In those circumstances another early goal was almost inevitable. The surprise was that when it materialised just 12 minutes later it was at the other end of the ground.
Kennedy's cross appeared to pose no immediate threat until Rada, misjudging the line of the ball in a swirling wind, headed it into his own net. The effect was to stir the visitors into renewed action and in the 35th minute they regained the lead with a goal of exquisite beauty. Poborsky's cross from the right was measured to the last spin of the ball for Koller to head his second goal. Koller's huge frame appeared to be everywhere and three minutes before the interval it directly opened the way to an Irish equaliser.
On this occasion he got his calls with goalkeeper Maier hopelessly tangled, leaving Ian Harte with the simple task of knocking the ball into an empty net.
Thus Ireland, against the odds, went in on levels terms at halftime, but they felt they should have had a third goal in the 52nd minute when the ball appeared to be over the line before Pavel Nedved cleared Mark Kinsella's in-swinging corner.
Keane's sharp reflexes would redeem all before the finish, but not before Nedved had gone within inches of scoring a third for the visitors.
In the end it was Ireland's night, and now the months ahead are heavy with the sense of expectancy.
Rep Of Ireland: A Kelly, G Kelly, Harte, Butler (Babb 46), Cunningham, R Keane, Kennedy (McAteer 46), Kinsella, Quinn, R Keane (Connolly 90), Kilbane (Staunton 82). Subs Not Used: Kiely, Breen, Carr, Finnan, Holland. Booked: Harte. Goals: Rada 16 og, Harte 43, R Keane 87.
Czech Republic: Maier, T Repka (Suchoparek 46), Rada, Nedved (Rosicky 82), Gabriel, Bejbl, Nemec (Latal 63), Poborsky, Koller (Kuka 68), Smicer (Wagner 56), Berger (Horvath 72). Subs Not Used: Cerny. Goals: Koller 4, 35. Referee: B Coue (France).
