Republic Held To Draw In Dublin

The Republic of Ireland missed the chance to go level on points at the top of their UEFA European Championships qualifying group last Friday against Slovakia at the Aviva Stadium.

Victory for joint leaders Russia over Macedonia earlier in the evening increased the pressure on these nations not to lose ground in the pursuit of the one automatic qualifying berth into next year's European Championships to be held in Poland and Ukraine.

Armenia showed they're not out of the qualification hunt either as a 3-0 win in Andorra kept them in touch with the frontrunners.

Slovakia packed the central area with five midfielders, leaving Filip Holosko in the sole attacking role.

It was their left-back Marek Cech who threatened first from distance on five minutes but his effort flew well wide of Shay Given's left post.

At the other end, good interplay by John O'Shea and Damien Duff on the right resulted in the latter delivering a cross which skipper

Robbie Keane attempted to spectacularly finish with an acrobatic volley. The ball could only skew off his foot and the danger was averted.

Vladimir Weiss, son of the same-named Slovakia manager, was always lurking around the penalty area and on 19 minutes ghosted into the box from the right to receive a left-wing cross from Marek Hamsik only to shoot straight at Given.

Eight minutes later, the visitors went close one more. Sean St Ledger conceded a free near the end-line on the right for a shove on Holosko and, from the resultant cross, the striker got his head to Miroslav Stoch's ball and forced Given to turn the effort around the post.

Ireland might have hit the front seven minutes before the break. Duff cut in from the right and exchanged passes with Keith Andrews to get a sight on goal from 14 yards. The Fulham winger got plenty of power on his shot but Jan Mucha batted it away.

Ireland were forced to spend a great deal of time in their own half early in the second half as Slovakia continued to use the ball better.

Glenn Whelan had a penalty claim turned down by the Portuguese referee four minutes after the restart when the Stoke midfielder barged his way into the box before going to ground under the challenge of Peter Pekarik.

Weiss became even more involved as an attacking outlet and wasted cuffed a good chance to hit the target on 56 minutes when a passage of play was worked to him on the right. He sent his scuffed shot a yard wide of Given's far post.

Five minutes later, the Slovaks created their best opening of the contest. Marek Hamsik bombed forward to receive a pass on the edge of the box yet St Ledger scrambled across to produce a wonderful block with his chest from the captain's thunderbolt.

It was all Slovakia at this stage and the opportunities continued to arrive. Weiss charged into the box from the left flank, his low cut-back forcing Stephen Ward to concede a corner with his clearance.

Then, on 68 minutes, Given was penalized for picking the ball up twice in the box, after allowing it slip from his grasp on the first occasion, but the wall did its job in thwarting the indirect free-kick.

There was some respite for the Irish when their wingers created two decent openings. Firstly, Aidan McGeady cut in from the left and skewed a low shot past the inside post before Duff rifled an effort over the bar after he'd combined well with the Spartak Moscow player.

Sixteen minutes from time, a quiet evening for Robbie Keane almost burst into life. Duff supplied the unmarked Irish captain with a cross he's accustomed to finishing but, with Mucha stranded, the LA Galaxy striker looped his header wide.

Cox was on as a substitute for Kevin Doyle at that stage and was nearly the match-winner on 84 minutes. Keane knocked down

O'Shea's long ball into his path 12 yards out and after doing the hard work by turning his marker, the West Brom forward could only veer his effort wide of the post.

Ireland's last chance to find a winner was passed up by Dunne who couldn't direct a stoppage time cross from substitute Stephen Hunt home with his head.