Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored twice at Lansdowne Road

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben and Arsenal's Robin van Persie also scored to inflict a second successive defeat on Irish boss Steve Staunton.

Huntelaar was left unmarked to head a 25th-minute opener and he set up Robben for number two 16 minutes later.

Huntelaar chipped in the third with Van Persie rifling in another.

It was the Republic's worst home defeat for 40 years and there were few positives as they prepare for their Euro 2008 qualification opener against Germany on 2 September.

The Irish were without the services of eight players from Staunton's original squad, five of whom would have started.

Captain Robbie Keane, vice-captain Shay Given, Damien Duff, Richard Dunne and Ian Harte were among the notable absentees.

Ajax striker Huntelaar had an effort wrongly ruled out for offside before heading the opener from a Van Persie corner.

Further misery ensued four minutes from the break as Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott played a poor backpass into a crowded area, allowing Huntelaar to back flick the ball to Robben who beat keeper Paddy Kenny with a low drive.

Holland made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute, initially beating the offside trap before Rafael van der Vaart teed up Huntelaar for an exquisite chip over the advancing Kenny.

Van Persie drilled home number four in off the underside of the bar.

Republic of Ireland: Kenny, Carr, Andrew O'Brien, O'Shea, Kilbane, Finnan, Reid, Kavanagh, McGeady, Morrison, Elliott.
Subs:Douglas, Miller, Kelly, Henderson, Alan O'Brien, Murphy, Doyle.

Holland: Van der Sar, Heitinga, Ooijer, Mathijsen, De Cler, Landzaat, Van der Vaart, Schaars, Van Persie, Huntelaar, Robben.
Subs: Jaliens, Emanuelson, De Jong, Janssen, Timmer, Kuyt, Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Referee: Thomas Henning (Norway)