Ireland win at 'Night with Niall'

Sunderland 0 Republic of Ireland 3

Niall Quinn claims he has felt giddy ever since he was fortunate enough to turn professional - but one of football’s true gentlemen must have been in a daze after a benefit night to remember.

Dubbed ‘A Night with Niall,’ the 35-year-old star was backed by a Stadium of Light crowd of 35,702 in his bid to raise £1million for children’s charities.

After six years with Sunderland, and in representing the Republic for 16 years, the evening was a fitting tribute to Quinn, who has been inundated with messages of support since he first announced plans for such a unique event.

Quinn has decided to give all the proceeds from the match, with the figure hoped to have surpassed seven figures, to hospitals in Sunderland and Dublin while the homeless in Calcutta are also to benefit.

Perhaps of intriguing interest was the whereabouts of Roy Keane as the Manchester United skipper was not around to pay his respects to Quinn, with the official line before kick-off being that he was undergoing treatment for a hamstring strain.

Keane certainly missed a party as Sunderland and Republic fans mixed freely as the police felt there was no need for segregation, while there were also supporters from Quinn’s two previous clubs in Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as Celtic.

Quinn had twice previously missed out on a testimonial with the Republic as the Football Association of Ireland first raised the mark at which a player would receive such an honour from 50 caps to 75 at a time when he was on 49.

Then, with Quinn remarkably on 74 caps, the FAI decided to scrap testimonials all together, leaving the 35-year-old seemingly with no reward for his long service until a chance conversation with Black Cats chairman Bob Murray last summer resulted in this event.

Quinn’s thankyou came in the form of a stint for both Sunderland and the Republic, that after being given a rapturous roar of approval as he emerged from the tunnel just before the start of the game flanked by his two children, daughter Aisling and son Michael.

In the absence of Keane, it was Steve Staunton who had led out Ireland just moments previously, before special guests for the night in former Republic boss Jack Charlton and Sunderland Player of the Century poll winner Charlie Hurley then played their part in the kick off.

In what will have proved a useful workout for 22 of boss Mick McCarthy’s players, Ireland took the lead after just 122 seconds courtesy of Wolves’ Mark Kennedy.

David Connolly was the instigator, aided by Everton’s Lee Carsley in a right-wing move which culminated in the Wimbledon striker’s piercing low cross through the area being sidefooted home at the far post by Kennedy.

Quinn departed in a red-and-white striped shirt in the 23rd minute to a resounding round of applause, which allowed him to enjoy Ireland’s second from a fan’s point of view 10 minutes later.

Connolly curled home a delightful 25-yard right-foot free-kick beyond Jurgen Macho, the Austrian starting in the absence of number one Thomas Sorensen who had linked up with Denmark’s World Cup squad.

Quinn then started the second half in the green of Ireland, lasting just 13 minutes before giving way to another Sunderland player in winger Kevin Kilbane, but like Jason McAteer he was playing for the Republic.

It was Kilbane, who had also played the entire first half, who applied the finish to the game by heading home the third 10 minutes from time.

Quinn, who was given a standing ovation when he emerged for one final time after the final whistle, will now go on to enjoy his international swansong with Ireland in the World Cup.

The question remains, though, whether this was Quinn’s last game in front of the Sunderland fans as he is still undecided whether to see out the final year of his contract with the Wearside club.