Ireland took a huge step towards qualification for the 2012 European Championship yesterday with a 4-0 win over nine-man Estonia in the first leg of their play-off.

Goals from Keith Andrews, Jon Walters and two in the closing stages from Robbie Keane gave Ireland the win, in which Estonia’s poor defending was ruthlessly exposed by Giovanni Trapattoni’s men.

Estonia lived up to their underdog tag, with both Raio Piiroja and Andrei Stepanov sent off for second bookable offences.

Defender Vedran Corluka scored one goal and helped create another as Croatia beat Turkey 3-0 in the first leg of their Euro 2012 play-off.

Croatia found the net after just two minutes when Ivica Olic latched onto a deflected ball after a delivery by Corluka at the Turk Telekom Arena.

Turkey then piled on the pressure but striker Mario Mandzukic extended Croatia’s lead in the 32nd minute when he headed home a cross from winger Dario Srna.

Srna provided another assist in the 52nd minute to Corluka, who was unmarked when he headed home at the near post to stake Croatia’s claim for a spot at Euro 2012 ahead of the second leg in Zagreb on Tuesday.

Bosnia-Herzegovina held Portugal to a 0-0, leaving their European Championship play-off wide open ahead of next week’s return leg in Lisbon.

In a game that produced few goalscoring chances, Portugal had the best of them although Cristiano Ronaldo squandered several openings.

Bosnia were better in the second half, and came close to breaking the deadlock through Edin Dzeko.

Portugal, a Euro 2004 finalist and Euro 2000 semifinalist, have shown patchy form in their effort to reach next year’s event.

Bosnia, aiming to qualify for their first major international tournament, are unbeaten in their last seven games and have conceded only one goal during that run. They were missing three regular defenders through injury and suspension against the favoured Portuguese.

Bosnia were limited up front. The home team repeatedly sought out Dzeko, but they mishit too many passes and the forward was closely marked by Pepe in a standout perfomance.

Senad Lulic delivered Bosnia’s first shot on goal — and their only one in the first half — in the 35th minute.

Ronaldo should have done better when he led a break in the 15th, but he held on to the ball too long and then shot weakly.

Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio fumbled a cross on the halfhour but recovered before Adnan Zahirovic could pounce.

Ronaldo had a clear chance in the 50th when he received the ball unmarked on the left side of the Bosnia area before hitting his shot wide.

Bosnia had to wait until the 72nd for their second shot of the game when Dzeko tried his luck from 30 metres out.

Two minutes later Postiga against missed the target from short range, and then Ronaldo failed to capitalize on another break.

Senijad Ibricic’s misdirected shot when he was unmarked at back post heralded a tense final 15 minutes that brought Bosnia’s best chance as Dzeko went one-on-one with Patricio but struck his shot wide.

Czechs beat Montenegro 2-0 in Euro playoffs

The Czech Republic took a big step toward qualifying for their fifth straight European Championship by beating Montenegro 2-0 yesterday.

Vaclav Pilar opened the scoring after collecting a smart through pass from captain Tomas Rosicky in the 63rd minute before firing a right-foot shot from 20 metres that gave goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic no chance to save.

It was the first international goal for the 23-year-old Viktoria Plzen midfielder in his fifth match for his country.

Tomas Sivok headed in his third in the national jersey in injury time from Rosicky’s free kick.