Good evening and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the international friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Latvia at the Aviva Stadium.

It is a huge night for the Irish with Martin O'Neill taking control of the side for the first time. He will be joined by another familiar face in the dugout, former captain Roy Keane.

The starting lineup has been announced for the Irish and I can bring that to you now.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND XI: Westwood, Coleman, O'Shea, Wilson, Ward, McGeady, Whelan, McCarthy, McClean, Hoolahan, Keane

O'Neill picks a strong team for his first match, with Robbie Keane leading the line. James McCarthy, James McClean and Wes Hoolahan will support him in midfield while John O'Shea partners Marc Wilson in the heart of defence.

The Irish will have wanted to be participating in one of the four play-offs taking place tonight, but they didn’t have the best of World Cup qualifying campaigns.

They came fourth in their group, with Germany finishing top and Sweden sealing second place. It was just over a year ago that they were beaten 6-1 at home by the Germans, a memory that fans in Dublin that night will want to forget.

Tonight’s opponents Latvia also failed to book their place in Brazil next summer as they could only manage to finish fifth in their group, picking up eight points from their 10 games.

Former Southampton striker Marian Pahars is in charge of Latvia, a position he has held since July. He was capped 75 times for the national side and scored 15 goals. Pahars was also part of the Latvian team that qualified for Euro 2004, their first major international tournament.

These two sides have met each other four times previously, with the Irish winning on each occasion. Their last meeting was a European Championship qualifier in 1995, where Ireland claimed a 2-1 home win.

We have already seen the starting XI for the hosts, now we can bring you the Latvian line up.

LATVIA XI: Vanins, Gabovs, Bulvitis, Gorkss, Maksimenko, Rode, Laizans, Lazdins, Rugins, Sabala, Verpakovskis

Coming into the game, both teams have struggled for form, with the Irish winning just three of their last 10 fixtures and falling to four defeats. The stats are even worse for Latvia, as they have managed just one victory from their past 10 outings and have tasted defeat in five of those matches.

O'Neill spoke yesterday about how important today's match is. He has told his players to not treat it like a friendly but more like a competitive match.

The players are warming up on the pitch and there is a fantastic atmosphere around the stands, as they look forward to a fresh start for the team.

It will be interesting to see how McCarthy and McClean play in the midfield today. Both players are certainly exciting talents and when they get on the ball the visiting defenders will face a tough challenge to deal with their attacking threat.

Tonight marks not only O'Neill's first game as manager of Ireland, but his first match in charge of a national side. He has had a successful career in club management, including spells at Leicester City, Celtic and Aston Villa.

The senior Ireland side will be hoping they can follow in the footsteps of their Under-21 counterparts, who beat the Faroe Islands 5-2 earlier today.

The turn out at the Aviva Stadium is expected to be over 40,000 for today's game, with the crowds still pouring into the ground.

PREDICTION: There should be a spring in the step of the Irish with O'Neill at the helm and the manager has plenty of experience in his side to get his reign off to a good start. Latvia have struggled to find the net in recent games and have leaked goals when faced with quality opposition. I am going to predict a 3-0 win for the hosts.

There are just a few minutes left till kick off and the teams are both lined up in the tunnel.

REFEREE: In charge of the match tonight will be Andreas Ekberg of Sweden.

Both teams are out and as O'Neill leaves the tunnel he receives a rapturous round of applause from the home fans. Time for the national anthems!

We have had the anthems and now it is time for the football to take centre stage in Dublin.

KICKOFF! Ireland have kicked off and the game is underway at the Aviva Stadium!

Really positive start from the home side as McClean works his way down the left flank, and wins a free kick in a dangerous position. McGeady will whip this one in.

CHANCE! The initial free kick is headed away to McCarthy who sees his ferocious strike blocked in the box.

McClean is looking dangerous down the left flank, he gets the ball in another good position and whips in a cross but the Latvian defence get it clear.

O'Shea picks out McClean with a precise ball over the top but the winger is flagged offside. It looks like Ireland are going to try and find him as much as they can in this match.

The visitors have managed to win a corner after their first spell of possession.

The cross is cleared away to Lazdins, who attempts a half volley on his left foot, but it lacks any threat and goes harmlessly over the bar.

Wonderful build up again from Ireland, this time down the right hand side. The ball is chipped over the top to Whelan, who attempts an ambitious strike from out wide but it goes behind.

Shocking moment for the Latvians. Vanins comes out of his box and handles when under pressure from Keane. They have a free kick in a dangerous position.

CHANCE! Keane should have scored! The free kick is played low into the middle and falls to the striker, but his attempt on goal was hit straight at the keeper. Vanins will be a relieved man!

You have to feel that had the keeper handled the ball in a competitive match he would have seen at least a yellow card for that, but the referee has shown him some leniency.

Ireland win another corner, and the ball is worked to McGeady, but his delivery is headed clear by the home side.

The hosts work the ball well down the flanks again, but McGeady's delivery into the middle is well claimed by the keeper under pressure from Keane.

Ireland have settled well into this game and have enjoyed a long spell of possession, as they look to exploit any gaps in the visiting defence.

Coleman beats his marker down the right hand side, but his ball into the middle is far too long. The hosts have got in behind the Latvian full backs far too easily so far.

Ireland win another corner down the left and this time Keane meets McGeady's delivery after it was flicked on. The home side have made their early pressure and dominance count!

CHANCE! Keane nearly doubles his and Ireland's tally for the evening! He picks up the ball just outside the box, before heading towards goal and attempts to curl it past the keeper, who gets down well to keep his effort out.

Latvia just can't get a touch at the moment as the hosts look confident and composed in possession.

SUBSTITUTION: Latvia make an early change with Fertovs coming on for Rugins.

Latvia win possession and attempt an attack down the right hand side, but Maksimenko is unable to get the ball into the middle after reaching the byline.

Ireland have eased off slightly in the past few minutes and have allowed Latvia to get on the ball more.

Great play from Coleman and McGeady who combine well down the right hand side and win a corner.

CHANCE! The corner is cleared away, but McClean manages to whip it back into the middle, with Keane inches away from connecting with the ball.

CHANCE! Great run by McClean who weaves his way into the box, but when he attempts the shot he gets it all wrong and drags his effort wide.

McCarthy is next to try his luck, but his strike from 25 yards flashes wide of the post. The visiting defence are backing off and inviting the Irish to have attempts on their goal.

Latvia have struggled to offer a real attacking threat in this match. Whenever they get on the ball they seem to run out of ideas and the hosts are quickly back in possession.

Whelan nearly threads a ball through to Keane but the defence manage to get enough bodies back to stop the attack just outside of their area.

Potential penalty appeals for the Latvians as O'Shea looks to have handled the ball inside the box, but it would have been harsh as it was clearly unintentional from the defender.

McClean cuts inside from the left and attempts a long range effort, but he fires his shot wide of the goal.

There has been one minute added on to the end of the first half.

It has been a fine start to life as Ireland manager for O'Neill, whose side leads 1-0 at the break. All time top goalscorer Keane added to his tally with a goal midway through the half.

The home side have dominated from the start and deserve their lead, although had they taken their chances, they could be further ahead.

Ireland's control of the game is backed up by the stats. They have had 67% of the possession and have attempted eight strikes on goal compared to Latvia's sole effort.

UPDATE: In the World Cup play-offs, Greece are leading Romania 2-1, while the other three games are all goalless at half time.

UPDATE: It is half time in the game between England and Chile at Wembley, and the home side are a goal down at the break thanks to an early header from Alexis Sanchez.

The second half is about to get underway in Dublin.

Latvia take the kick off and get the second half started.

SUBSTITUTION: The visitors have made their second change of the evening with Visnakovs coming on for Verpakovskis.

The half has started with Ireland seeing plenty of possession, just as they did in the first 45 minutes.

Ireland put together a good passing move but it is cut out by the Latvian defence on the edge of their area.

Latvia threaten as they break from an Irish corner. The ball is worked down the right flank, but the cross into the middle is too close to Westwood and the keeper gathers.

McClean receives the ball in space on the left hand side and whips a cross into the middle, but the defence clear as Keane threatens to get on the end of it.

Ireland win a free kick in a promising position, but McClean over hits his delivery and it sails wide of the post.

McGeady attempts an effort after picking up the ball on the edge of the box, but his powerful strike on the volley misses the target.

YELLOW CARD! Gabovs is booked for hacking down McClean as he attempted to get the ball in from the left. It is a promising position for the Irish from the free kick.

The delivery is poor and fails to beat the first man. The defenders who came forward for that won't be happy!

CHANCE! Hoolahan latches onto a loose ball and pulls it back across the middle, but McClean fires over from just a few yards out. He needed to keep his composure there instead of blasting his strike over the bar.

CHANCE! Almost an own goal! McClean yet again gets a cross into the box. This time Keane misses the ball, but it hits a defender and the keeper has to be alert to make the save.

SUBSTITUTION: Change for Latvia, with Turkovs on in place of Sabala.

CHANCE! McGeady works his way to the edge of the area and lashes a shot on goal that Vanins does well to beat away.

Latvia have managed to see more of the ball in the past few minutes but they need to make their time in possession count.

Laizans gives the ball away poorly in midfield to McGeady, who takes a touch before firing a low effort past Vanins and into the bottom corner.

The hosts fully deserve that goal but Latvia will be disappointed at the ease of which they lost the ball. It was a dreadful pass from Laizans and McGeady made no mistake.

CHANCE! The visitors lose possession again inside their own half, and the Irish manage to work the ball to Hoolahan, who sees his shot saved by the keeper.

SUBSTITUTION: After his mistake for the goal, Laizans is taken off and replaced by Sinelnikovs.

SUBSTITUTION: Triple change for the hosts. Keane, McGeady and Hoolahan are all off, with Reid, Walters and Long replacing them.

CHANCE! Reid has only just come on, but comes close to scoring. He picks up the ball around 20 yards out, before firing a low effort that the keeper pushes wide.

The corner comes to nothing, as Vanins easily claims the delivery.

Latvia have managed to win a free kick in a promising position on the right hand side.

It is another poor delivery and fails to beat the first man. Ireland attempt to hit the Latvians on the counter attack but the defence are back quickly to stop them.

A fantastic attacking move by Ireland ends with a goal by Long! Coleman is played in down the right hand side and his precise delivery across the middle is slotted home from a couple of yards out by the substitute.

SUBSTITUTION: Ireland make another triple change, with Stokes, Green and Doyle all coming on. Whelan, McCarthy and McClean are the players to make way.

The hosts nearly come close to scoring a fourth. Coleman whips a fine ball into the middle that is headed out to Ward, but he sees his low strike go wide of the post.

The substitutions O'Neill has made look to have invigorated his side and they are pushing forward at every opportunity to add to their lead.

Ireland win a free kick around 25 yards out from goal, but Stokes gets his effort all wrong and the ball goes wide of the post.

CHANCE! Stokes comes even closer this time, when he cuts in from the left and forces the keeper to push his fierce strike wide.

There are going to be three minutes of added time.

It has been a scrappy ending to the game, with Latvia committing a number of fouls to stop the hosts adding a fourth

YELLOW CARD! The frustration of the Latvian's is clear to see as Rode picks up a yellow card for a poor challenge from behind.

Martin O'Neill's first game as manager of the Republic of Ireland gets off to the perfect start as his side have swept away Latvia this evening. They were by far the better team from start to finish and deserved their win.

That's all we've got time for after a good night's work for Ireland. O'Neill's team will more than likely face a tougher task next week when they visit Poland. Stick with us here at Sports Mole for all of tonight's results and news, but from me, it's goodbye!