Irish qualification dream fading fast after loss

Steve Staunton's dream of leading the Republic of Ireland to next summer's Euro 2008 finals are effectively over after Marek Jankulovski's first-half winner gave the Czech Republic an almost unassailable Group D advantage.

Reeling from the sending-off of substitute Stephen Hunt on the hour for a lunge on Jan Polak, Staunton's men battled bravely in search of an equaliser, but were ultimately fortunate to go down by such a narrow deficit.