Ireland hanging on at the break

HALF TIME: Russia 0 Ireland 0

Richard Dunne’s heroics denied Russia a half-time lead as the Republic of Ireland weathered a storm in Moscow.

The Aston Villa defender produced a stunning block to keep out Igor Semshov’s goal-bound 33rd-minute shot with the visitors under the cosh.

Keeper Shay Given had earlier turned away Andrey Arshavin’s eight-minute shot and done even better to palm Igor Semshov’s acrobatic volley before Yuri Zhirkov hit the post with a 40th-minute corner.