Defender Dunne has decisive say for Irish

The Aston Villa defender, whose man-of-the-match defensive display in Russia last month helped to secure a point, ensured all three went Ireland’s way in their final Group B game with a 60th-minute goal which cemented them in second place on a night when both sides had a man sent off.

Much of what could have gone the Republic’s way before the break did so with the dangerous Armenians having goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky sent off with just 26 minutes gone.

Armenia had arrived in Dublin brimming with confidence after three successive qualifying victories and 11 goals but their plight deepened a minute before the break when defender Valeri Aleksanyan turned Damien Duff’s cross into his own net, and when Dunne bundled home a second on the hour, the game looked to be over.

But Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s strike two minutes later ended Ireland’s run of eight clean sheets and sparked a concerted fightback, and the final whistle was greeted with as much relief as joy.

Giovanni Trapattoni, whose future as manager seems inextricably linked to the success or otherwise of this campaign, saw his decision to play Simon Cox rather than Shane Long pay off, although he will have been less pleased with Kevin Doyle’s rather harsh dismissal for a second bookable offence.

Doyle would have missed the first leg of the play-offs as a result of his first booking anyway, but his manager will hope captain Robbie Keane is fit enough to play or the Italian will be without both his first-choice frontmen.