14 Oct 2011

Ireland handed boost in Euro playoff draw with Estonia plum

7:14 am on 14 October 2011

Ireland have had a huge boost in their bid to reach next year's European Championship football finals - they've been drawn to play minnows Estonia in the two-legged playoffs.

The other matches will see Turkey against Croatia while Czech Republic face Montenegro and Bosnia meet Portugal.

The playoff draw included eight of the nine runners-up from the group stages of the qualifying competition.

The playoffs will take place on November 11th and 12th and November 15th, with the first named teams at home in the first leg.

The four winners will advance to next year's finals being staged in Poland and Ukraine in June and July with the co-hosts already joined by group winners Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Netherlands, Greece, England, Denmark and Spain and best runners-up Sweden.

The Irish have only made one appearance at the Euros, back in 1988.