Ireland lead at the break

HALF TIME: Ireland 2 FYR Macedonia 1

Macedonia keeper Edin Nuredinoski was having a night to forget in Dublin as Ireland held a 2-1 lead at the Aviva Stadium.

Nuredinoski allowed Aiden McGeady’s shot to sneak passed him with just 85 seconds gone to present the winger with his first senior international goal on his 38th appearance, and then spilled Darron Gibson’s 21st-minute free-kick for skipper Robbie Keane to stab home the loose ball.

But the visitors gave themselves hope in the dying seconds of the first half when Ivan Trickovski ran on to Goran Pandev’s pass to pull a goal back.