Ten-man Republic scrape into play-offs against Armenia

Republic of Ireland 2 Armenia 1

Richard Dunne led the Republic of Ireland into the Euro 2012 play-offs with a hard-fought victory over Armenia.

The defender’s 60th-minute goal was enough to see Ireland home on an eventful night when Armenian keeper Roman Berezovsky was sent off before the break and Republic striker Kevin Doyle saw red nine minutes from time.

Valeri Aleksanyan’s 44th-minute own goal had given the home side the lead and Dunne made it 2-0, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s 62nd-minute strike ensured the result remained in doubt until the final whistle.

West Brom striker Simon Cox emerged from the shadows to help lead the Republic of Ireland’s bid for the Euro 2012 play-offs.

Cox had not even expected to be named in the squad after failing to start a Barclays Premier League game this season, but was drafted in by Giovanni Trapattoni as a replacement for injured skipper Robbie Keane for tonight’s Group B showdown with Armenia.

Richard Dunne returned from suspension in place of Darren O’Dea, while Stephen Kelly got the nod at left-back with Stephen Ward banned.

Armenia boss Vardan Minasyan named Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Gevorg Ghazaryan and Yura Movsisyan, who had scored 14 goals between them during the campaign before kick-off – one more than the Republic squad in total – in his starting line-up.

Cox wasted little time in getting himself into the thick of the action and it was his perseverance wide on the right which set up Damien Duff to cross within seconds of kick-off, although his delivery was too strong for Kevin Doyle in the middle.

Trapattoni had asked his players to start at a similar tempo to the game in Andorra on Friday evening, but the in-form Armenians had ideas of their own and dangerman Mkhitaryan whipped a left-footed shot wide of Shay Given’s goal after an enterprising fourth-minute run.

Cox was noticeably dropping deeper when Ireland were not in possession – a concession to the threat posed by the visitors, who arrived in Dublin having scored 11 times in their previous three games.

Armenia were dominating possession as they passed the ball confidently with Marcos Pizzelli orchestrating much of their best work behind lone striker Yura Movsisyan.

However, the Republic’s more prosaic approach almost paid off with 12 minutes gone.

Doyle flicked Given’s clearance into the path of Cox, who found his strike partner with a return pass, but the Wolves frontman fired straight at keeper Roman Berezovsky.

There was a scare for Given two minutes later when Movsisyan got in behind Dunne to run onto a defence-splitting pass, but his touch away from the keeper sent the ball out for a goal-kick.

Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan were working hard in the middle of the field to break up play, while Dunne, the hero of Moscow, was once again at his stubborn best.

To their credit, the 10 men continued to play positively and Movsisyan reminded the home side that the job was far from done within two minutes of the restart.

The striker turned smartly past Dunne to create room for a right-foot shot, but he scuffed his effort and Given saved comfortably.

But the Armenians found themselves under pressure seconds later when Cox tricked his way past Aleksanyan on the goal-line and pulled the ball back for Doyle.

The striker seemed certain to score, but Mkrtchyan made a fine block to deny him.

Mkrtchyan was similarly well-placed to keep the Wolves man at bay once again three minutes later after he had worked his way into a shooting position.

Minasyan replaced Pizzelli with Edgar Manucharyan with 53 minutes gone, but his side might have slipped further behind within seconds.

Andrews, singled out by Trapattoni as a potential goalscorer in his press conference yesterday, almost did just that when he picked up the ball 25 yards out and smashed a swerving drive just wide.

Ireland increased their lead on the hour when McGeady cut inside to curl in a cross which Petrosyan could only turn on to Dunne, who gleefully bundled it into the unprotected net.

But just as the home fans at the Aviva started to relax, Given’s hopes of a ninth successive clean sheet were dashed by Mkhitaryan’s 62nd-minute snapshot, which ensured a tense conclusion.

Movsisyan fired wide four minutes later as he failed to make the most of Manucharyan’s mazy run, but McGeady’s weak side-footed effort was easy blocked at the other end after Duff had opened up the visitors once again.

As Armenia pushed for an equaliser, Doyle was booked for a foul on defender Levon Hayrapetyan which will rule him out of the next game.

The visitors might have been level with 20 minutes to play when Manucharyan headed a Mkhitaryan corner just over the angle of bar and post.

Whelan left the pitch gingerly with 76 minutes gone to be replaced by Keith Fahey, and he was followed four minutes later by Jonathan Walters as Cox made way to warm applause.

Doyle’s evening took a turn for the worse with nine minutes remaining when he was adjudged to have elbowed Mkrtchyan as the pair jumped for a high ball and was yellow-carded for the second time.

Substitute Stephen Hunt though he should have been awarded an 84th-minute penalty for a trip by Petrosyan and Walters blasted just wide two minutes from time, but the victory and a play-off place were secure.