The dimensions of the challenge confronting Mick McCarthy in his attempt to rebuild the Republic of Ireland team were starkly defined on an evening of impressive South American athleticism at Lansdowne Road.

Argentina's ambition was consumed in just 45 minutes, but it was enough to consign the Irish to another defeat and remind the sceptics that, in spite of the eccentricities of their qualifying programme, Daniel Passerella's team will demand the respect of all in France this summer.

First-half goals by Gabriel Batistuta and Ariel Ortega ensured that they didn't have to break into a sweat after the interval and that was, perhaps, just as well for an Ireland team which for all its commitment, just didn't measure up in terms of skill.

During those opening 45 minutes, the visitors often looked to be playing at a different pace to the opposition as Matias Almeyda, Diego Simeone and, not least, the artful Ortega called the decisive shots in midfield and Batistuta got in behind the Irish defence with disquieting ease.

At one point, at the summit of Argentina's urgency, the Irish looked at the point of disillusionment as they chased fleeting shadows. That was the starkest reminder of the decline in standards, but with the winners apparently fulfilled by their two-goal lead at half-time and the arrival of Denis Irwin and Phil Babb to stiffen the home defence in the second half, a crowd of 38,000 saw a much more competitive game.

In that period, there were isolated pockets of inspiration to hold out hope of a brighter dawn for McCarthy's team, but judged on the discrepancy in class when the game had yet to be won by Argentina, he has still a long road to travel.

With greater thrift, the margin of Argentina's win could have been a lot bigger. As it was, however, the goals which won it for them were things of beauty, delicately crafted and executed with a level of skill which was quite breathtaking.

Batistuta, the most experienced of the players Passerella will take to the World Cup finals, had missed at least two feasible chances before a flash of skill took the home defence apart and bagged the Fiorentina striker yet another international goal in the 27th minute.

Ortega, detaching himself yet again from his marker, put Claudio Lopez clear on the left and when his driven cross arrived in a crowded six-yard area, Batistuta's pace took him between two defenders and with the most delicate of glances, he tucked the ball in the net.

If that was textbook finishing, the second goal lit up the stadium five minutes before the interval. Ortega, in a one-on-one situation with Shay Given, turned back inside when he found the angle closed, wafted past two defenders and then, with the most precise of chip shots, dropped the ball just under the crossbar.

Gary Breen, standing on the goalline, gave the Argentinian perhaps, no more than 12 inches to aim at, but Ortega was so accurate that the Coventry defender could only watch and admire as the ball sailed over his head on its way to the net. It was a goal which will be talked about by the fans for years to come.

The scoreline might have been made a little more palatable for the Irish had not the crossbar denied Niall Quinn an acrobatic goal in the 62nd minute.

To be absolutely objective, however, even that misfortune did not quite compare with Batistuta's luck in injury time when his header struck an upright and then rolled agonisingly across the face of the goal with the Irish in obvious disarray.

Robbie Keane, the darling of the crowd, was prominent in that belated Irish flourish and when the man of the match award went to Ortega, there were a lot of dissenters on the terraces. That was scarcely a valid commentary, however, for brave as he was, Keane spent an inordinate amount of time on the seat of his pants in the first half as he ran into a wall of defenders time and again. His pace and spirit were above question, however, and in that, there was genuine hope.

Quinn worked hard alongside him and the best of the midfielders was Mark Kinsella who, on his home debut, showed the kind of composure on the ball, which put him apart from many others. Gary Kelly, too, had some fine moments in the second half, but Lee Carsley and, to an even greater extent, Kevin Kilbane struggled early on.

One of the more disturbing aspects of the home performance was the rapidity with which the defence was outwitted in the first half. Breen, some way below the form he had shown in the Czech Republic, had an unnerving 90 minutes, but the arrival of Phil Babb in place of Ian Harte tightened things after half-time.

So, too, did Denis Irwin, prompting the thought that McCarthy might have included both players in his starting line-up.

A difficult evening for Breen was foreshadowed by the mix-up which might have seen Batistuta open the scoring after just nine minutes. It was Carlsey's wild pass which put him in trouble in the first instance, but fortunately, Given was equal to the task of making the point-blank save.

Keane's snap shot, which goalkeeper German Burgos did well to parry, offered the prospect of brief respite and subsequently, Kelly and Quinn caused brief flutters in the South American defence until Batistuta's goal defined the real difference between the sides.

Breen, mistiming his jump to meet the long, floated clearance by Burgos, presented the visitors with another inviting chance in the 37th minute, but this time it was Lopez who spurned it.

At that point, the Argentinians were in full spate and it was scarcely a surprise when Ortega chipped Breen and, it seemed, half the Irish team to make it 2-0 just before the interval.

Argentina were markedly less ambitious in the second half and it wasn't until the 70th minute that Lopez, on the break, got anywhere near the Irish goal, now guarded by Alan Kelly.

In between, the home team had a couple of chances at least when Quinn, twisting in the air, headed Kelly's cross against the bar. Earlier, Roberto Sensini had made the interception as the big Sunderland man converged on Keane's cross.

Only when the fire had gone out of the game did we see the best of Keane, but at that stage, it was essentially a damage limitation exercise for the men in green. For the Wolves youngster, and for some of his more experienced team-mates, it had been a salutary lesson in the art of survival in international football.

Republic Of Ireland: Given, Kenna, Staunton, Carsley, Breen, Harte, Kinsella, G Kelly, Quinn, Keane, Kilbane. Subs: A Kelly for Given, Babb for Harte, Irwin for Kilbane (all 46 mins); Delap for Kenna (76 mins). Subs Not Used: Connolly, Farrelly. Booked: Delap. Argentina: Burgos, Ayala, Vivas, Sensini, Almeyva, Lopez (Delgado 83), Simeone, Batistuta, Ortega, Berti, Veron. Subs: Pineva for Berti (62 mins). Subs Not Used: Cavallero, Paz, Astrada, Escudero, Cagna, Cardoso. Goals: Batistuta 27, Ortega 40. Att: 38,500.

Referee: S Dougal (Scotland).