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

Martin O'Neill enjoyed a fine start to his life as Ireland manager, with a win over Latvia followed up with a goalless draw against Poland in his first two games in charge. He will be hoping that his team can remain unbeaten against Serbia, a team placed 29th in the FIFA World Rankings.

The line ups for both teams have been announced, so I can bring them to you now, including some news about who will be captaining the home side this evening.

IRELAND XI: Forde, Coleman, Keogh, Wilson, Ward, McGeady, McCarthy, Whelan, Hoolahan, McClean, Long

SERBIA XI: Stojkovic, Rukavina, Bisevac, Ivanovic, Dordevic, Tadic, Kolarov, Matic, Fejsa, Basta, Markovic

IRELAND SUBS: Randolph, Kelly, O'Shea, Pearce, Clark, Walters, Green, Quinn, Meyler, Pilkington, Daryl Murphy, Cox, Stokes, Murphy

SERBIA SUBS: Brkic, Gudelj, Tomvic, Tosic, Petrovic, Ljajic, Sulejmani, Scepovic, Krsticic

TEAM NEWS: With Robbie Keane not involved, Glenn Whelan is given the captaincy this evening. John O'Shea would have been the choice for many but he is on the bench, with Richard Keogh partnering Marc Wilson in the centre of defence. Leading the line for the hosts tonight is Shane Long, with James McClean and Wes Hoolahan supporting him in attack.

There are a number of Premier League based player in the Serbia side this evening, with Chelsea pair Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic and Manchester City full back Aleksandar Kolarov all named in the starting XI.

Although both teams failed to qualify for this summer's World Cup, they will have realistic hopes of making it through to Euro 2016. The new format will see 24 teams take part in the tournament, so the two teams finishing top of their groups will book a spot, with the third-place side going through to the playoffs. Ireland have to face Germany in their group, but will be confident of a finish inside the top three with Poland, Scotland, Georgia and Gibraltar to play.

As for Serbia, they have been drawn inside a group containing only five teams. They will face Portugal, Denmark, Armenia and Albania, as well as playing two friendlies against Euro 2016 hosts France. Ljubinko Drulovic will fancy his team's hopes of a top-two finish, with a playoff berth the very minimum requirement.

PREDICTION: The home side will be confident of a good result this evening, despite missing a few of their big name players. There is a feel good factor around the country since O'Neill's arrival and this will be seen as a big challenge for them ahead of the European Championship qualifiers in September. Serbia have plenty of quality players in their ranks and will offer tough opposition. International friendlies are always hard to predict, but I think this game will end in a draw, with 1-1 my view of the outcome.

This will be the third time that these two nations have met. The previous two occasions were both friendlies, with each game ending level. The last meeting in 2012 ended goalless, so I hope that is no indication of how events this evening will unfold.

We've had the national anthems for each side, and the match is just moments away from starting.

KICKOFF! We are underway at the Aviva Stadium!

GOAL DISALLOWED: It's almost the perfect start for the home side! Kolarov gives the ball away cheaply in midfield and the ball is played wide to McClean. The winger gets down the left and delivers a great ball to the back post where McGeady meets it on the volley to fire home. However, the flag was up on the far side as Hoolahan appeared to get a touch from just a yard out. The midfielder had no need to be there, as the ball had already beaten the keeper and was heading in.

It has been a sloppy start to the match for the visitors, who have given the ball away quite a few times. Ireland have shown that they can punish their opponent's mistakes, and they are looking really up for this match.

Serbia have not started this game at all well, and Ireland have indeed made them pay for a big mistake. Ivanovic plays a woefully short backpass, which Long intercepts and slots confidently past Stojkovic, to give his side a deserved early lead.

The visitors have their first attempt on goal of the match as Djordjevic finds some space outside of the box and lets fly, but he smashes his effort well wide of the post.

CHANCE! Serbia have a big opportunity to equalise as Kolvarov whips in a corner that an unmarked Bisevac meets to head at goal, but he directs his effort straight into the gloves of Forde.

Long is really giving the Serbia defence a tough evening, as he closes down the defence brilliantly and forces Stojkovic to come from his goal and put the ball out of play. He is a player that will always give his all, and on top form has shown how much of a handful he can be.

The visitors may not be looking too solid defensively, but have started to wake up further down the pitch. Kolarov has looked threatening on the left and he whips in a cross for Djordjevic to attack, but the striker is unable to direct his header goalwards.

CHANCE! Serbia come forward again and move the ball around brilliantly inside the box with Markovic and Djordjevic showing some good touches. It eventually falls to Markovic just inside the box on the left hand side, and he attempts to curl in a low effort, but it is well gathered by the keeper.

OFF THE LINE! Again the visitors are agonizingly close to levelling the scores. Ivanovic rises highest to meet a corner and his header looks like it's going into the top left hand corner, but McClean does his job and heads the ball off the line.

CHANCE! Both teams have looked strong from set piece situations this evening, and Wilson is the next to come close for the Irish when he meets McGeady's corner at the back post, but can't keep his header down.

Serbia have started to take control of the possession in this match and are passing the ball around confidently in the advanced positions. They still don't look completely confident at the back, and I suspect there will be more goals in this match.

Ward is almost caught out as he tries to play the ball out of his own box, but is closed down quickly by Djordjevic and ends up giving away a corner.

CHANCE! From the resulting corner, Ireland manage to clear and they break quickly. The ball is then slid through to Long who is clean through on goal, but fires his effort straight at Stojkovic. The rebound comes back out to him, but he is off balance from the first strike and his scuffed attempt is well blocked by the keeper.

McGeady shows great pace and skill to burst down the right wing, and his low cross is heading into the path of Long for a simple finish inside the six-yard box, but for a last-ditch clearance from Bisevac.

McClean tries his luck for Ireland with a strike from long range after cutting in from the right, but his fierce effort doesn't cause Stojkovic any problems and flies over the bar.

Serbia will have a great opportunity from a free kick around 25 yards out from goal, as Whelan brings down Kolarov. The Manchester City man is the favourite to take this and will fancy his chances from here.

It is not one of Kolarov's best free kicks, as his low effort clips the outside of the wall and goes behind for a corner.

Ireland have looked dangerous on the break this evening and McClean shoots from range after cutting inside again from the right. This time he attempts a low strike, which he fires across the keeper and just wide of the far post.

SAVE! The visitors come close again as Tadic cut inside and bends in a wicked effort that looks like it's heading into the top corner, but Forde manages to pull of a fantastic one-handed save to tip his effort over the bar.

As the game approaches half time both teams are giving away the possession quite cheaply and it looks like the hosts will be heading into the interval with their lead intact.

We are going to have two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.

The referee blows for half time and it is the Irish who are head. Long's early goal is the difference between the two sides, although they may feel they could have scored more.

Ireland have had a goal disallowed and Long had an excellent chance to score a second when he was clean through on goal. Serbia had chances of their own, with Ivanovic's header being cleared off the line.

Serbia enjoyed more of the ball in the first half and have had 55% of the possession. They had 11 attempts on goal compared to Ireland's seven, in what has been a well contested game so far.

Here's Ireland striker Long celebrating his goal this evening.

@Shanelong009 celebrating the opening goal of the game #IrlSer pic.twitter.com/aj2npKAxzz

— FAI (@FAIreland) March 5, 2014

Serbia kick off the second half and get the match back underway.

Serbia have levelled things up just three minutes into the second half, and it's an unfortunate goal for the home side to concede. Kolarov bursts forward and exchanges passes with Tadic, before sliding the ball across the box, with McCarthy diverting it into the net as he tried to clear. McClean attempted to clear the ball off the line, but it was definitely over before he got a touch.

CHANCE! What a huge chance this is for Ireland to quickly retake the lead. Hoolahan wins the ball in midfield and plays in Long. The striker is clean through, but goes for an early chip over the keeper, which he gets all wrong and scuffs wide. Long will be desperately disappointed with that effort, as a player of his quality should have scored.

Djordjevic looks to work an opening for Serbia after receiving Tadic's pass down the right, but after getting into the box he drills a low strike wide at the near post.

CHANCE! Serbia are looking to press home their advantage and add to their goal, with Tadic picking up the ball just outside the box, before working some space and firing in a strike that Forde does well to beat away.

SUBSTITUTION: Serbia have made a change, with Tosic coming on for Basta.

Serbia have taken the lead, and Ireland can't say that it hasn't been coming. Tosic almost makes an immediate impact as the ball is pulled back to him in the centre of the box. His shot is blocked, but it falls kindly to Djordjevic at the back post to slot a low effort past the keeper.

SUBSTITUTION: Ireland respond to falling behind by making a double change, as Meyler and Pilkington come on for McCarthy and Hoolahan.

CHANCE! Meyler has only just come on and he should have found the back of the net. He rises unmarked to meet McGeady's corner, but directs his header wide of the post.

SUBSTITUTION: Ireland make another change, with Clark replacing Ward.

The Irish substitutes have looked lively and Pilkington attempts an effort from range when he cuts inside from the right, but his attempt is too central is and comfortably watched all the way by Stojkovic.

Serbia are in control of this match at the moment, and Ireland are struggling to get on the ball. The visitors are being allowed to pass the ball around with ease and are not being closed down quickly enough.

CHANCE! Serbia are almost in for a third goal. Djordjevic tries a spectacular effort in the middle, but he doesn't connect with the ball properly. It falls to Tosic who tries to poke an effort into the net, but his weak attempt is hit straight at the keeper

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Ireland replace their goalscorer Long, with Walters coming on up front. Murphy is also coming on, and he replaces McGeady.

SUBSTITUTION: Serbia also change things around, as Sulejmani comes on for Markovic.

It is all Serbia at the moment and they are looking especially strong down the left. Kolarov has been a real threat all evening and does well to get to the byline and win a corner. They fail to make anything of the set piece, but still look the team more likely to score the next goal.

SUBSTITUTION: Both teams make a change, as Quinn is on for Ireland in place of Whelan, while Ljajic returns to international football for Serbia in place of Tadic.

YELLOW CARD! Ivanovic is booked for the visitors after bringing down Walters.

YELLOW CARD! Serbia pick up another booking, as Matic is handed a yellow card.

SUBSTITUTION: The visitors make a change, with Scepovic replacing Djordjevic.

The game has been short on goalscoring opportunities over the last few minutes, with Ireland struggling to put any decent attacking moves together. O'Neill will be hoping for a late rally from his side to get something in the closing stages.

SUBSTITUTION: Serbia are giving an international debut to Gudelj, who comes on for the last minute in place of Rukavina.

We are going to have three minutes of stoppage time.

CHANCE! We all know how good Kolarov is at shooting from range, and he tries to find the bottom right hand corner from all of 30 yards out, but Forde does well to push his powerful drive wide of the post.

Serbia have fought back from a goal down at half time to hand Martin O'Neill his fist defeat as manager of Ireland. The home side started the evening well, but gradually faded after a solid second half performance from the visitors.

There were plenty of positives for Ireland early on, with Long proving his quality up front. They were unfortunate to concede an own goal at the start of the second half, but after falling behind they failed to produce any real goalscoring chances.

Tonight's result will leave O'Neill will plenty of planning ahead of September's Euro 2016 qualifiers, but this was a good test for his team against top opposition.

That's all we've got time for here. Please stay with us at Sports Mole for all of this evening's international friendlies. Until next time, goodbye!