BIG-HEARTED striker Niall Quinn is today at least three-quarters of the way towards his magical £1m charity target after more than 35,000 fans backed Tuesday night's benefit match between Sunderland and the Republic of Ireland.

But Sunderland Football Club last night said it would be weeks before a final figure could be announced.

The Republic of Ireland and Sunderland forward pledged to donate the entire proceeds of the match between his club side and national side to help fund two hospital children's departments.

The 35-year-old father-of-two, who lives in Sedgefield, County Durham, aims to raise £500,000 for Sunderland Royal Infirmary and a matching amount for Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in his home city of Dublin.

Other cash has been earmarked for a children's programme in India which helps impoverished children in urban districts of Calcutta.

The charity match at Sunderland's Stadium of Light - dubbed A Night with Niall - was unique because of Quinn's pledge to donate every penny of the proceeds to good causes.

The veteran player has given six years of his career to Sunderland - four short of the ten which traditionally trigger a testimonial match - but a chance conversation with Sunderland chairman Bob Murray laid the foundations for this week's friendly.

He spent months organising the match, and prior to kick-off he received a goodwill fax from Prime Minister Tony Blair, famously a fan of the Black Cats' arch rivals Newcastle United.

Quinn, who played stints for each team, saw his club side go down 3-0 to his countrymen and said after the game it would be "night he would never forget".

It is estimated the gate receipts totalled about £700,000 and an innovative donation scheme is expected to push it towards the £1m mark.

People could pay £10 for non-attendance tickets. For that they received a commemorative ticket and match programme. The non-attendance ticket scheme still has another week to run.

Quinn said last night: "The last few months have been fascinating. I didn't have any idea what I was letting myself in for but it's all gone so well.

"The hospitals are expecting half a million each now so I've got to deliver.