As one-nil victories go this was as emphatic as they get. A first goal for his adopted country by Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Burgess two minutes before halftime was sufficient as Malta were left utterly flattered by the score-line at the finish.

A comfortable double, then, for Ireland who had also easily overcome the meek challenge of Liechtenstein on Monday to thus ease through to the play-off stage for next year's UEFA Under-18 finals to be staged in Germany.

A talented French team now stands in the way of Irish manager Brian Kerr achieving his seventh qualification for a finals tournament from eight attempts since taking charge as youth team manager in February 1997.

A success over two legs against the French next spring would also make it five finals in a row at under-18 level.

This is the first team Kerr has had right through from under-16 level.

UEFA Under-16 champions in 1998, they lost their first game together 2-1 to France, but have been beaten just twice more in a total of 22 games, only two of which were played at home.

Regarded as potentially the best group Kerr has yet had, they were scarcely at their best in these two games against far inferior opposition, whose sole aim seemed to be to keep the goals against them to a minimum.

"We had so much possession that if it had been a boxing match it would have been stopped at half-time," said Kerr.

"They had one shot at us late on and got one corner kick in the whole match. We totally dominated the game and were in complete control. We just needed a second goal to kill off the game and avoid some unnecessary tension late on."

It was a far more open game than the stifling, defensive affair against Liechtenstein on Monday.

Graham Barrett almost added to his two goals in that match when powering a header just over the crossbar from an excellent Shaun Byrne cross after 10 minutes.

After a strange 20-minute lull, the game fired back into life in the final third of the first-half.

Burgess clipped the top of the bar from another Byrne cross before Maltese goalkeeper Justin Haber came into his own with an amazing triple save in 15 seconds from a header and two volleys, all from Burgess.

Haber, clearly enjoying himself, then produced some acrobatics to hold a curling free-kick from Keith Foy on 42 minutes before finally being beaten a minute later.

A flowing move out of defence, instigated by midfielder Thomas Butler, moved through Jonathan Douglas and a flick forward by Barrett for Brendan McGill to skip between two defenders to get to the end line and pull the ball back for Burgess to shoot home off a retreating Maltese.

While Ireland continued to own the ball throughout the second-half, the chances were less frequent.

Central defender Jim Goodwin was just wide with a diving header from a McGill corner while Burgess brought a wonderful two-handed save from Haber with a header on 66 minutes.

Malta: Haber; Lombardi, R Briffa, Wellman; J Briffa, A Farrugia, Sammut, J Farrugia, Ciantar; Mifsud, Tabone. Subs: D Pisani for Lombardi (half-time); Barabara for Tabone (69 mins.).

Republic Of Ireland: Murphy (Tranmere Rovers); Douglas (Blackburn Rovers), O'Shea (Manchester United), Goodwin (Celtic), Foy (Nottingham Forest); McGill (Sunderland), Miller (Celtic), Butler (Sunderland), S Byrne (West Ham United); Barrett (Arsenal), Burgess (Blackburn Rovers). Subs: Dempsey (Everton) for McGill (68 mins.); McMahon (Newcastle United) for Burgess (78 mins.).

Referee: G Mejuto (Spain).