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Ireland had their first chance in the 6th minute when Andy Reid capitalised on a slip by Cannavaro to cut in from the right and force goalkeeper Flavio Roma to a full-length save and when Damien Duff spun the rebound across goal again from the left flank, Roma had again to fling himself at the ball to deflect it away.
Italy took the lead in the 10th minute from a corner which Zambrotta flicked on from the near post and Del Piero knocked it towards goal with his instep but Given managed to claw it away and with Italy claiming the ball had crossed the line Andrea Pirlo struck the ball firmly and accurately into the Irish net from 25 yards.
Italy played with relaxed control and looked dangerous every time they attacked which was underlined in the 28th minute when Vieri collected a 40 yard pass from right-back Zaccardo and lifted the ball on the volley over the head of Given from 16 yards but was unlucky when the ball came back off the crossbar.
They stretched their lead in the 31st minute when Gilardino ran on to a superb pass from Del Piero and Given did well to parry his initial shot but the rebound fell kindly for Gilardino who lifted the ball over the fallen Irish keeper.
Ireland’s responded immediately and got a goal back barely 66 seconds later when a cross from Morrison on the right caused some hesitation between goalkeeper Roma and full-back Zaccardo and Andy Reid nipped in between them to strike a left foot shot low into the far corner.
This goal was no more than Ireland deserved and with the home crowd cheering them on they almost had an equaliser in the 41st minute. Duff linked with Kilbane to set up Ian Harte just outside the penalty area whose shot was deflected off the heel of John O’Shea and Italian keeper Roma was forced to readjust his position on the goal-line but did so effectively to keep the ball out.
Italy made four changes at the start of the second half and were not the attacking force in the that they were in the first.
Instead, the chances that did materialise came late on for Ireland, with Morrison firing into the side-netting from close range, while Stephen Elliott - a 73rd minute sub for Andy Reid - was denied his first senior goal when Roma pushed away his angled shot on the volley.
Morrison thought he had equalised in the third minute of injury time, but he was harshly adjudged to have used his hand to control before sweeping home a right-foot shot.
Afterwards, Kerr said: "I'm disappointed we lost but it wasn't a bad team we lost to. It was a very good performance in a very open match with a lot of goal attempts."
"We took time to deal with their quality and physical strength round the pitch but in the second half we were more controlled and disciplined. I thought we deserved something - and we came very close, Clinton Morrison had a great goal disallowed and Stephen Elliott was very close."
"I've got plenty to mull over after this. Some players played well and some showed they are rusty - that's why we have friendlies. But there were a lot of good performances around the pitch and we will have a chance against France."
Ireland (4-3-3): Given (Newcastle Utd); Finnan (Liverpool)(Carr 57), Dunne (Manchester City),(O’Brien 46) Cunningham (Birmingham City), O’Shea (Manchester United) (Miller 77); S. Reid (Blackburn Rovers), Holland (Charlton Athletic),Kilbane (Everton),A. Reid (’Spurs), (Elliott 75) Morrison (Birmingham City), Duff (Chelsea).
Italy (4-3-3): Roma (Monaco); Zaccardo (Palermo), Nesta (AC Milan) (Materazzi 46), Cannavaro (Juventus)(Barzagli 63), Zambrotta (Juventus); Gattuso AC Milan), Pirlo (AC Milan) (Barone 75), Di Rossi (Roma) (Grosso 46), Vieri (AC Milan), Gilardino (AC Milan) (Iaquinta 46), Del Piero (Juventus) (Diana 46).