Nottingham Forest's international adventure failed to spark an improvement in their fortunes.

The Reds were beaten by a Republic of Ireland XI in an international challenge match at Dalymount Park in Dublin.

Forest produced a highly committed display against Irish fringe players looking to impress watching national team boss Giovanni Trapattoni.

However, they struggled to fashion goal-scoring opportunities and had no answer to goals on either side of half time from Caleb Folan and Andy Keogh.

The opening goal came in the 24^th minute as Sunderland's Anthony Stokes sent Folan racing clear of the Forest defence.

Folan, who became Hull's first ever Premier League goal scorer earlier this season, kept his nerve to guide his shot under the on-rushing Paul Smith.

Ireland doubled their lead 17 minutes into the second half as Shane Long's right wing cross was converted by Keogh of Wolves.

Ireland looked threatening throughout the 90 minutes. They had gone close before Folan's opener as Smith made a sprawling save to deny Stokes, while Darron Gibson and Keith Andrews tried their luck with shots from distance.

Andrews again went close early in the second half before Keogh's goal effectively settled the contest.

Forest found chances harder to come by and Ireland's first half goalkeeper Joe Murphy was a virtual spectator.

Teenage midfielder Matt Thornhill provided Forest's brightest moment of the night with a long-range shot 11 minutes from time that forced a diving save from substitute goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

The sight of Joe Garner continuing his comeback as a half-time substitute for Andrew Cole was another positive to emerge from the whistle-stop trip to the Irish capital.

Garner, who had made his first appearance in a Forest shirt in Tuesday's reserve draw against Lincoln, was due to be accompanied on the trip across the Irish Sea by fellow comeback man Paul Anderson.

However, the winger was left back in Nottingham after complaining of stiffness after also hitting the comeback trail against Lincoln.

Like Garner, Anderson played for just over 30 minutes against The Imps but Forest's medical team are confident he will be fit to appear in Tuesday's home reserve game against Walsall.

Garner, meanwhile, is desperate to ignite his Forest career following his summer move from Carlisle and eight months on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury.