Sunderland 0-3 Republic of Ireland

Niall Quinn was backed by nearly 40,000 people at the Stadium of Light in his bid to make a cool £1 million for charity.

Quinn has pledged to donate all of the proceeds of last night's game between Sunderland and the Republic of Ireland to children's charities.

And he looks to be well on the way to the target after football fans from all over Britain and Ireland descended on Wearside to support the big Irishman.

Mick McCarthy's men used the game as a World Cup warm-up. They go on to play Nigeria on Thursday before departing for Japan and Korea.

But the night was all about Quinn and his kind-hearted pledge to donate the money to kids in Sunderland, Dublin and Calcutta.

As promised the big striker appeared for both sides and Sunderland's team included attacking midfielder Richard Knopper, on trial from Ajax, but he struggled to get into the game as Ireland cruised to a 3-0 win.

Evergreen striker Quinn started in a red and white shirt but was withdrawn after just 23 minutes - to get ready for his stint in an Ireland strip.

As expected Julio Arca and Emerson Thome returned for Sunderland after long-term injury lay-offs and Gavin McCann started after missing the Wearsiders' last two games through suspension.

Jason McAteer was also in Ireland colours but had to be content with a place on a crowded substitutes' bench, which included 10 of his international team-mates.

Flying winger David Bellion started for Sunderland, whose side included youngsters Nicolas Medina, Ben Clark and Craig James, and also Kevin Phillips among their substitutes.

Roy Keane was a surprise absentee for Ireland as McCarthy's men warmed up for their World Cup campaign. The Manchester United skipper was missing through injury.

McCarthy and Quinn had promised that the game would be taken seriously, with the World Cup in Japan and Korea only 16 days away.

And Ireland showed they meant business when they went ahead in the third minute, through Wolves winger Mark Kennedy who finished well with his left foot after good work by David Connelly.

Quinn will pledge the proceeds of the game to children's hospitals in Sunderland and Dublin, as well as sponsoring street children in Calcutta.

His gesture cleary struck a chord with supporters throughout football and his appearance at the Stadium of Light was met with a huge chorus of 'Niall Quinn's Disco Pants', the theme adopted by Sunderland fans to show their appreciation for the big striker.

There was a lot of green in the ground, with an estimated 8,000 supporters travelling across the Irish Sea to support Quinn, who made his international debut 16 years ago.

Quinn will hang up his boots at international level after the World Cup but you can bet he will play a big part in his last tournament. The match is usually a sideshow in these sort of occasions and an indication of that was Quinn's departure mid-way through the first half. He was given a thunderous applause, and so was Phillisp when he came on. Jody Craddock also replaced Joachim Bjorklund.

Ireland could have gone two up through Lee Carsley before Quinn had departed, but Jurgen Macho, in for the World Cup-bound Thomas Sorensen, saved well.

They did go two up in the 33rd minute when Connelly curled a free kick from 20 yards past Macho's outstretched hand. Kilbane was close to getting on the scoresheet on his home turf, for only the second time this season, when Macho twice blocked his shot from close range.

Shay Given, who was booed every time he touched the ball, which was harsh considering he had a successful three-month loan spell with Sunderland during their Roker Park days but not surprising due to his Newcastle connections, saved well from Phillips just before the break.

Kennedy must have won the half time raffle in the Ireland dressing room as he was the only player to re-appear after the break. McCarthy made 10 changes, and as promised Quinn emerged in green after a fruitless 20 minutes wearing red and white.

Sunderland limited their half-time substitutions to three but it was two of the original line up who nearly carved out a goal for the home side. Bellion crossed for new boy Knopper, 24, who just failed to turn the ball part Given.

Quinn was back on the touchline 15 minutes into the second half, being replaced by Kilbane who had just enough time to finish off a delayed half time cup of tea!

Ireland's World Cup preparations, which have gone well since they qualified via a play-off, continue on Thursday when they take on Nigeria in Dublin before jetting out to the Far East. And they signed off in style when Kilbane scored with a header against his employers in the 79th minute, Ireland's third of the night, a minute before he was taken off for the second time.

Sunderland: Macho (Ingham 46), Williams (James 63), Bjorklund (Craddock 23 {Clark 63}), Thome (Varga 57), Gray, Bellion, Thirlwell, McCann, Arca (McCartney 46), Quinn (Phillips 23 {Medina 46}), Knopper.

Republic of Ireland: Given (Kiely), Finnan (Kelly 46), Staunton (Harte 46), Cunningham (Dunne 46), Breen (O'Brien 46), Carsley (Duff 46),Kennedy (Carsley 84), Kinsella (Holland 46), Morrison (Quinn 46 {Kilbane 60 (Connolly 84)}), Connolly (Keane 46), Kilbane (McAteer 46).

SAFC