Republic of Ireland 1-1 Poland:
The Group D leaders looked to be heading for victory in
Dublin courtesy of midfielder Slawomir Peszko's first-half strike.
But Long, an 83rd-minute replacement for midfielder Glenn
Whelan, stabbed home from close range in the first minute of stoppage time to
snatch a point and keep Ireland's hopes of making it to France alive.
Ireland were second best in the first half and, after a
scrappy opening from both teams, they fell behind when Robbie Brady dallied on
the ball and was swiftly dispossessed by midfielder Peszko, who darted
forward and beat Shay Given with an unstoppable left foot drive.
But Martin O'Neill’s side upped their game after the break
and hit the post twice in search of the equaliser.
Brady was first to go close when his deflected cross drifted
over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski but came back out off the inside of the
left-hand upright.
Marc Wilson then had a
thumping header denied by the Swansea shot-stopper, who was saved by the
woodwork again moments later when Robbie Keane saw his downwards header bounce
up and off the same post.
O'Neill sacrificed holding midfielder Glenn Whelan to send
on striker Shane Long as time ran down as the hosts threw everything forward.
And the move paid dividends in injury time when Wes
Hoolahan's header fell for the Saints man to stab a shot past Fabianski to
snatch a dramatic point.
The result leaves Ireland in fourth place, just two points
adrift of second place Germany and Scotland in third, who are tied on ten
points.
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