Republic of Ireland 2 - 1 Armenia

The Republic of Ireland confirmed their second place finish in Group B of the Euro 2012 Qualifiers following their 2-1 win against Armenia. Both sides finished the game with ten men apiece at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday night.

In the first ten minutes of the encounter, neither side really seemed to get to grips with the task at hand. Ireland would not have been happy with the space given to the visitors in the centre of the park. The first effort of the game came from the boot of an Armenian when Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired well wide of Given’s goal.

Trapattoni’s men would respond however, and should have opened the scoring after some great work from Simon Cox in the Armenian penalty area. After failing to shoot himself, he swivelled and teed up the Wolves striker. Doyle should have done a lot better with the chance; failing to test Berezovsky in the Armenia goal.

In what was somewhat of a sarcastic effort on goal, Simon Cox tapped home after Berezovsky dropped the ball in what looked like an attempt to get treatment. Whether or not the goal should have stood is anyone’s guess, but it’s all academic as the referee awarded a free kick.

The keeper’s blushes would soon return. After a fantastic ball played into Simon Cox from the middle of the park, he went one on one with the fore-mentioned stopper. His attempt to lob the keeper was ajudged to be halted by the use of Berezovsky’s arms. Referee Eduardo Gonzalez reached for his red card, and gave the Armenian number one his marching orders. From the free kick, right footed Aiden McGeady blasted well over the bar. An opportunity wasted.

With just five minutes to go to half time however, it was Ireland to break the deadlocked, although the Armenian wounds were somewhat self-inflicted. After some good work from Duff on the right hand side, his cross found Kevin Doyle. His wasteful effort however was tuned into an assist as Valeri Aleksanyan slotted home into his own net. The home side were ahead.

The last effort before the break would arrive from a set piece. Yura Movsisyan wasted the dead ball opportunity from a dangerous position, as he blasted well over Given’s bar. Almost immediately afterwards, the Spanish referee blew his whistle for half time.

The second half began in much the same way as the first in that neither side were willing to take any risks. Keith Andrews was the first to have a pop, but his effort came to nothing.

Just shy of the hour mark, the playoff looked guaranteed. After some trickery on the right wing from McGeady, his cross appeared to be heading toward Petrosyan’s arms, before spilling it straight into the path of Richard Dunne to scramble home from al of three yards.

Despite their second goal, Ireland conceded almost immediately. The visitors broke with pace before teeing up their danger man Mkhitaryan to strike home from the edge of the area. Shay Given will not be impressed with his efforts to prevent the goal.

Ireland would look to the counter attack for the next period of the game, as the Armenian side really piled on the pressure. First Mkrtchyan had an effort deflected just wide of Given’s goal, and from that corner, Manucharyan headed agonizingly over at the back post. The warning signs were there for the Irish.

With just ten minutes to go, Ireland were reduced to ten men after Kevin Doyle went in for a header with his elbow. The striker received a second yellow for his troubles and left the game leaving both sides on level standings in terms of personnel.

Ireland almost secured the win just five minutes from time as Jonathan Walters drilled his effort just wide. Soon after, the fourth official indicated the four minutes of stoppage time. It was party time in the Aviva Stadium as an electric Irish crowd sensed their place in the playoff was finally safe despite the Armenian onslaught.

Republic of Ireland: Shay Given, Stephen Kelly, Sean St. Ledger, Richard Dunne, John O’Shea, Damien Duff, Glen Whelan (Keith Fahey 76), Keith Andrews, Aiden McGeady (Stephen Hunt 67), Simon Cox (Jonathan Walters 80), Kevin Doyle.

Subs not Used: Keiren Westwood, Darren O’Dea, Seamus Coleman, Shane Long.

Armenia: Roman Berezovsky, Hrayr Mkoyan, Sargis Hovsepyan, Valeri Aleksanyan, Markos Pizzelli (Edgar Manucharyan 52), Yura Movsisyan, Karlen Mkrtchyan, Edgar Malakyan (Arsen Petrosyan 28), Levon Hayrapetyan, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Gevorg Ghazaryan (Artur Sarkisov 67).

Subs not Used: Artak Edigaryan, Artur Edigaryan, Zaven Badoyan, Artur Yuspashyan.

Referee: Eduardo Gonzalez (Spain)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Simon Cox.