International Friendlies: Republic Of Ireland Beats Uruguay 3-1

Republic of Ireland enjoyed a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Uruguay with goals from Jonathan Walters, James McClean and Cyrus Christie. Ireland took the lead 28th-minute lead through skipper Walters' sumptuous effort, and although Jose Gimenez levelled before the break, Christie's strike and a well-executed third from substitute McClean rounded off a good evening for manager Martin O'Neill, whose side face Austria next weekend in a crucial World Cup Qualifier.
The Republic made eight changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Mexico with only keeper Darren Randolph and defenders Christie and Shane Duffy retained, and saw his big names engineer a significant improvement on the performance at the MetLife Stadium and boost spirits ahead of the Austrians' visit to Dublin.

Opposite number Oscar Tabarez named just five of the men who started the last World Cup Qualifier in Peru, among them Paris St Germain frontman Edinson Cavani. Cavani lasted just 12 minutes after over-stretching in an ultimately vain attempt to reach Randolph's nonchalant pass across his own penalty area to Duffy at the start of a first half which was to move from the sublime to the ridiculous before it drew to a close.

Ireland's 4-2-3-1 formation gave them a much more solid base than they had enjoyed against the Mexicans when O'Neill's three-man defence simply did not work, but star man Robbie Brady found himself operating on the right and initially struggled to have his usual influence.