The Tottenham striker took advantage of some poor defending as he jinked his way in from his own half and unleashed a fierce drive from 20 yards.
The ball flew into the bottom right corner as Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar looked on helplessly.
This was meant to be the night Holland gained revenge for the Irish blocking their path to the 2002 World Cup, as a 1-0 victory at Lansdowne Road three years ago helped Ireland finish second in their group to Portugal, with the Dutch in third.
More's the pity then that Ireland are not on Portuguese soil for the start of Euro 2004 in less than a week's time. Especially when you consider they claimed wins over the Dutch, Czech Republic and Jamaica in the last month and also nabbed a draw with world leaders Brazil.
In only the third minute a long goal-kick from Shay Given, winning his 60th cap, saw the Dutch defence hesitate and Keane nipped in to hit a volley which van der Sar tipped around the post.
Five minutes later Graham Barrett, the hero against Jamaica on Wednesday night who put in another fiery display, poked a shot just wide of the same upright after finding himself in a bit of space eight yards out.
Keane went close again when Andy Reid played a short ball to Barrett and he delivered a good cross to the far post.
Keane had his back to goal as he controlled the ball and sent in an overhead kick which shaved the top of the crossbar as the young Irish looked in control.
There was to be no stopping Keane, however, as he deservedly swept home the lead goal. His strike partner Clinton Morrison was just inches away from getting a goal for himself after 49 minutes as the Dutch defence was again slow to react.
Barrett crossed from the right, Kenny Cunningham headed the ball back into the danger zone and his Birmingham team-mate swivelled and hit a left-foot volley which crept just over the bar.
Keane had a good chance to equal that record in the 53rd minute as he pounced on skipper Phillip Cocu’s sloppy back pass. The livewire striker carried the ball into the box but hit a low drive at van der Sar.
If Keane’s goal was brilliant then so too was the save from Newcastle’s Given which kept Ireland ahead after 75 minutes.
Johnny Heitinga crossed from the right and fellow substitute Roy Makaay sent in a bullet downward header, but somehow Given threw himself to his left to push the ball out.
Ireland’s win brought to an end a worthwhile 10-day spell in which they have beaten Romania at Lansdowne Road in Roy Keane’s return match, lost to Nigeria but beat Jamaica in the Unity Cup at The Valley, then stunned a strong Dutch team on their own turf.
Brian Kerr’s men will now have a well-deserved rest before their next friendly at home to Croatia in August – and they can look back on a 2004 record of four wins, two draws and one loss (3-0 v Nigeria).
They will hope to rectify a poor goalscoring record however, with just five goals scored in those seven games and four against, before the serious business begins of trying to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.
---
HOLLAND (4-3-1-2): Van der Sar, Reiziger (Heitinga 45), Stam, Bouma (Van Hooijdonk 84), Van Bronkhurst; Sneijder (Van der Meyde 45), Cocu, Davids (Robben 65); Van der Vart; Kluivert (Seedorf 45, Bosvelt 61), van Nistelrooy (Makaay 65)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (4-4-2): Given; Finnan, Cunningham, O'Brien, Maybury; Barrett, Holland, Quinn, Reid (Doyle 87); Robbie Keane, Morrison (Lee 82).
REFEREE: M Dean (Eng)