Ireland's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 suffered a huge blow when they lost 1-0 to the Czech Republic in Prague.

A first half goal by Marek Jankulovski gave the Czechs the win against Steve Staunton's men, who were reduced to ten men when Stephen Hunt was sent off just after the hour mark.

The Czechs were clearly the more technical capable side, and started well with great interplay between Radoslav Kovac and Tomas Rosicky freed Libor Sionko, who drilled just wide on 12 minutes.

And soon afterwards they were ahead, a free-flowing counter attack cutting Ireland to shreds, Sionko finding Jankulovski, who shimmied past Richard Dunne and fired into the bottom left for 1-0 on the quarter hour.

Ireland looked all over the place every time the Czechs countered and Sionko should have doubled the lead five minutes later when he somehow fired wide with only Shay Given to beat.

But Ireland regained some confidence and just before half time Kevin Doyle was unlucky to see his low drive come back off the post and inches away from Paul McShane with the goal at his mercy.

In first half injury time Jan Polak became the first of three Czech players to pick up a yellow card that rules them out of the next qualifier, Milan Baros and Jankulovski also joining him in the book.

The second half saw substitute Stephen Hunt - who came on for the injured John O'Shea and was incessantly booed by the Czech fans for his past history with Petr Cech - worry the Czechs with his strong running, but the hosts were always in control and should have got a second when Given made a superb reflex save from Rosicky.

Greek referee Kyros Vassaras allowed the crowd and team's attitude towards Hunt sway his decision when the Reading man caught Rosicky - after winning the ball - and chose to send him off even though it was his momentum that sent his trailing leg through. It killed the game, with Ireland lacking bodies but pushing forward and always looking like they were going to be caught on the break.

They almost grabbed an equaliser though, first Doyle and then McShane going close, the latter after an uncharacteristic error from Petr Cech.

Referee Vassaras may have UEFA to answer to after he appeared to start showing Jankulovski a second yellow card in the final minute before backtracking, while Ireland were desperately unlucky not to scramble a late leveller when they hurled bodies forward and McShane mis-hit a chance wide.

But the Czechs held on and Ireland now have to win all their remaining games and hope for favours from Germany in particular if they are to make the tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

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In other group D games, Craig Bellamy was the hero as Wales hammered Slovakia 5-2, away, but will have to settle for a best finish of third place after Ireland's defeat in Prague, while Cyprus beat whipping boys San Marino 3-0.

Group leaders Germany did not play a competitive match but beat Romania 3-1 in a friendly. The had a two point and one game advantage over the second-placed Czechs, who are six points ahead of Ireland in third.

Reda Maher / Eurosport